^TI  ^  w  i'  I"1™*-    f***^  j/*~*\.  E    ^*OOI^1^  ^  ir^-  '^7 

I  He  v^Oi  vJiNcL 

1     1    1  1— ^     V^V^JL-*X^xl     i.im^JLMr 

OF  THE 


", 


"YOU  ARK  A  SOI.DIKR— AN    AMERICAN   OFFICER? 


-UK   SAID.   SI 


THE  COLONEL  OF 
THE  RED  HUZZARS 

BY 

JOHN  REED  SCOTT 


WITH     ILLUSTRATIONS    BY 
CLARENCE    F.    UNDERWOOD 


GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS,  NEW  YOEK 


Copyright    1905    by   JOHN    REED   SCOTT 
Copyright  1906  by  J.  B.  LIPPINOOTT  Co. 

Published  June.  1908 


Ps 


TO  MY  WIFE 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  —  A    PICTURE   AND    A   WAGER    ..................  9 

II.  —  CONCERNING  ANCESTORS  ....................  19 

III.  —  IN  DORNLITZ  AGAIN  ........................  29 

IV.  —  THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  ..................  37 

V.  —  THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND   ..................  48 

VI.—  THE  SIXTH  DANCE    ........................  60 

VII.  —  AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  ..................  73 

VIII.  —  THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS  ...............  89 

IX.—  THE  DECISION  .............................  103 

X.  —  THE  COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS  ........  115 

XI.  —  THE  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT  ..............  128 

XII.  —  LEARNING  MY  TRADE  ......................  137 

XIII.—  IN  THE  ROYAL  Box  ........................  146 

XIV.—  THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  .....................  161 

XV.  —  HER  WORD  AND  HER  CERTIFICATE  ..........  179 

XVI.  —  THE  PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE  ........  195 

XVII.—  PITCH  AND  Toss  ...........................  207 

XVIII.  —  ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY   ...............  220 

XIX.—  MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  ...................  232 

XX.—  A  TRICK  OF  FENCE    ......................  253 

XXI.—  THE  BAL  MASQUE  ........................  265 

XXII.—  BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE  ................  286 

XXIII.  —  AT  THE  INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES   .......  302 

XXIV.—  THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  .  ,  .316 


I 

A  PICTURE  AND  A  WAGER 

IT  was  raining  heavily  and  I  fastened  my  over 
coat  to  the  neck  as  I  came  down  the  steps  of  the 
Government  Building.  Pushing  through  the  crowds 
and  clanging  electric  cars,  at  the  Smithfield  Street 
corner,  I  turned  toward  Penn  Avenue  and  the 
Club,  whose  home  is  in  a  big,  old-fashioned,  grey- 
stone  building — sole  remnant  of  aristocracy  in  that 
section  where,  once,  naught  else  had  been. 

For  three  years  I  had  been  the  engineer  officer  in 
charge  of  the  Pittsburgh  Harbor,  and  "  the  navigable 
rivers  thereunto  belonging" — as  my  friend,  the 
District  Judge,  across  the  hall,  would  say — and 
my  relief  was  due  next  week.  Nor  was  I  sorry. 
I  was  tired  of  dams  and  bridges  and  jobs,  of  levels 
and  blue  prints  and  mathematics.  I  wanted  my 
sword  and  pistols — a  horse  between  my  legs — the 
smell  of  gunpowder  in  the  air.  I  craved  action — 
something  more  stirring  than  dirty  banks  and  filthy 
water  and  coal-barges  bound  for  Southern  markets. 

Five  years  ago  my  detail  would  have  been  the 
envy  of  half  the  Corps.  But  times  were  changed. 
The  Spanish  War  had  done  more  than  give  straps  to  a 


10       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

lot  of  civilians  with  pulls;  it  had  eradicated  the  dry- 
rot  from  the  Army.  The  officer  with  the  soft  berth 
was  no  longer  deemed  lucky;  promotion  passed  him 
by  and  seized  upon  his  fellow  in  the  field.  I  had 
missed  the  war  in  China  and  the  fighting  in  the 
Philippines  and,  as  a  consequence,  had  seen  juniors 
lifted  over  me.  Yet,  possibly,  I  had  small  cause  to 
grumble;  for  my  own  gold  leaves  had  dropped  upon 
me  in  Cuba,  to  the  disadvantage  of  many  who  were 
my  elders,  and,  doubtless,  my  betters  as  well.  I  had 
applied  for  active  service,  but  evidently  it  had 
not  met  with  approval,  for  my  original  orders  to 
report  to  the  Chief  of  Engineers  were  still  un 
changed. 

The  half  dozen  "regulars,"  lounging  on  the  big 
leather  chairs  before  the  fireplace  in  the  Club  re 
ception-room,  waiting  for  the  dinner  hour,  gave 
me  the  usual  familiar  yet  half  indifferent  greeting, 
as  I  took  my  place  among  them  and  lit  a  cigar. 

"Mighty  sorry  we're  to  lose  you,  Major,"  said 
Mannont.  "Dinner  won't  seem  quite  right  with 
your  chair  vacant. " 

"  I'll  come  back  occasionally  to  fill  it, "  I  answered. 
"Meanwhile  there  are  cards  awaiting  all  of  you  at 
the  Metropolitan  or  the  Army  and  Navy. " 

"Then  you  don't  look  for  an  early  assignment  to 
the  White  Elephant  across  the  Pacific  ? "  inquired 
Courtney. 

"Good  Lord!"  exclaimed  Hastings,  "did  you 
apply  for  the  Philippines  ?  " 


A  PICTURE  AND  A  WAGER  11 

"  What  ails  them  ?  "    I  asked. 

"Everything — particularly  Chaffee's  notion  that 
white  uniforms  don't  suit  the  climate?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"Is  that  a  criticism  of  your  superior  officer?" 
Marmont  demanded. 

"That  is  never  done  in  the  Army,"  I  answered. 

"  Which  being  the  case  let  us  take  a  drink, "  said 
Westlake,  and  led  the  way  to  the  cafe. 

"Looks  rather  squally  in  Europe,"  Courtney 
observed,  as  the  dice  were  deciding  the  privilege 
of  signing  the  check. 

"  It  will  blow  over,  I  fancy, "  I  answered. 

"  Have  you  seen  the  afternoon  papers  ?  " 

"No." 

"Then  you  don't  know  the  Titian  Ambassador 
has  been  recalled. " 

" Indeed!    Well,  I  still  doubt  if  it  means  fight. " 

Courtney  stroked  his  grey  imperial.  "  Getting 
rather  near  one,  don't  you  think  ?  "  he  said. 

"No  closer  than  France  and  Turkey  were  only  a 
short  while  ago,"  I  answered.  "Moreover,  in  this 
case,  the  Powers  would  have  a  word  to  say. " 

"  Yes,  they  are  rather  ready  to  speak  out  on  such 
occasions;  but,  unless  I'm  much  mistaken,  if  the 
Titians  and  the  Valerians  get  their  armies  moving 
it  will  take  more  than  talk  from  the  Powers  to  stop 
them. " 

"And  it's  all  over  a  woman,"  I  observed 
carelessly. 


12      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Courtney  gave  me  a  sharp  glance.  "I  thought 
that  was  rather  a  secret, "  he  replied. 

I  laughed.  "It's  one,  at  least,  that  the  news 
papers  have  not  discovered — yet.  But,  where  did 
you  get  it  ?  " 

"From  a  friend;  same  as  yourself,"  he  said,  with 
the  suggestion  of  a  smile. 

"My  dear  fellow,"  I  said.  "I  know  more  about 
the  Kingdom  of  Valeria  than — well,  than  your 
friend  and  all  his  assistants  of  the  State  Depart 
ment.  " 

"I  don't  recall  mentioning  the  State  Department, " 
Courtney  replied. 

"You  didn't.  I  was  honoring  your  friend  by 
rating  him  among  the  diplomats.  " 

He  ignored  my  thrust.  "Ever  been  to  Valeria?" 
he  asked. 

I  nodded. 

"Recently?" 

"  About  six  years  ago. " 

"  Is  that  the  last  time  ?  " 

"  What  are  you  driving  at  ?  "    I  asked. 

He  answered  with  another  question:  "Seen  the 
last  number  of  the  London  Illustrated  News  ?" 

"No."    I  answered. 

He  struck  the  bell.  "Bring  me  the  London 
News,"  he  said  to  the  boy.  Opening  it  at  the 
frontispiece  he  pushed  it  across  to  me. 

"Has  she  changed  much  since  you  saw  her?" 
he  asked,  and  smiled. 


A  PICTURE  AND  A  WAGER  13 

It  was  a  woman's  face  that  looked  at  me  from 
tke  page;  and,  though  it  was  six  years  since  I  had 
seen  it  last,  I  recognized  it  instantly.  There  was, 
however,  a  certain  coldness  in  the  eyes  and  a  firm 
set  of  the  lip  and  jaw  that  were  new  to  me.  But, 
as  I  looked,  they  seemed  to  soften,  and  I  could 
have  sworn  that  for  an  instant  the  Princess  Dehra  of 
Valeria  smiled  at  me  most  sweetly — even  as  once 
she  herself  had  done. 

"You  seem  uncommonly  well  pleased  with  the 
lady, "  Courtney  observed. 

I  handed  back  the  News. 

"You  have  not  answered  my  question,"  he  in 
sisted. 

"Look  here,  Courtney,"  I  said,  "it  seems  to  me 
you  are  infernally  inquisitive  to-night.  " 

"Maybe  I  am — only,  I  wanted  to  know  some 
thing,  "  and  he  laughed  softly. 

"Well?" 

"  I  think  I  know  it  now, "  he  said. 

"  Do  you  ?  "    I  retorted. 

"  Want  to  make  a  bet  ? "  he  asked. 

"  I  never  bet  on  a  certainty, "  said  I. 

Courtney  laughed.  "Neither  do  I,  so  here's 
the  wager: — a  dinner  for  twenty  that  you  and  I  are 
in  Valeria  thirty  days  from  to-night  and  have  dined 
with  the  King  and  danced  with  the  Princess. " 

"Done! "said  I. 

"All  I  stipulate  is  that  you  do  nothing  to  avoid 
King  Frederick's  invitation. " 


14      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  And  the  Princess  ?  "    I  asked. 

"I'm  counting  on  her  to  win  me  the  bet,"  he 
laughed. 

I  picked  up  the  picture  and  studied  it  again. 
The  longer  I  looked  the  more  willing  I  was  to  give 
Courtney  a  chance  to  eat  my  dinner. 

"If  the  opportunity  comes  I'll  dance  with  her," 
I  said. 

"Of  course  you  will — but  will  you  stop  there,  I 
wonder  ?  " 

I  tapped  my  grey-besprinkled  hair. 

"They  are  no  protection,"  he  said.  "I  don't 
trust  even  my  own  to  keep  me  steady  against  a 
handsome  woman. " 

"They  are  playing  us  false  even  now,"  said  I. 
"I'm  not  going  to  Valeria  to  decide  a  dinner  bet. " 

"You're  not.  You're  going  as  the  representative 
of  our  Army  to  observe  the  Valerian-Titian  War. " 

"You're  as  good  as  a  gypsy  or  a  medium.  When 
do  I  start?" 

"Don't  be  rude,  my  dear  chap,  and  forget  that, 
under  the  wager,  I'm  to  be  in  the  King's  invitation — 
also  the  dance.  We  sail  one  week  from  to-day. " 

"  A  bit  late  to  secure  accommodations,  isn't  it  ?  " 

"  They  are  booked — on  the  Wilhelm  der  Grosse.  " 

"You  are  playing  a  long  shot — several  long 
shots, "  I  laughed : — "  War — Washington — me. " 

"Wrong,"  said  Courtney.  "I'm  playing  only 
War.  I  have  the  Secretary  and  the  Princess  has 
you." 


A  PICTURE  AND  A  WAGER  15 

"You  have  the  Secretary!" 

"  Days  ago. " 

"The  Devil!"  I  exclaimed,  lifting  my  glass 
abstractedly. 

"  The  Princess !  you  mean, "  said  Courtney 
quickly,  lifting  his  own  and  clicking  mine. 

I  looked  at  the  picture  again — and  again  it  seemed 
to  smile  at  me. 

"The  Princess!"  I  echoed;  and  we  drank  the 
toast.  "  We're  a  pair  of  old  fools,"  said  I,  when  the 
glasses  were  emptied. 

Courtney  picked  up  the  News  and  held  the 
picture  before  me. 

"  Say  that  to  her, "  he  challenged. 

"I  can't  be  rude  to  her  very  face,"  I  answered 
lamely. 

Just  then  one  of  the  "buttons"  handed  me  a 
telegram.  I  tore  open  the  yellow  envelope  and  read 
the  sheet,  still  damp  from  the  copy-press.  It  ran: — 

"Titia  declares  war.  Detail  as  attache  open. 
If  desired  report  at  headquarters  immediately. 
Hennecker  relieves  you  in  morning.  Aaswer." 

"  (signed)        HENDERSON,  A.  A.  G." 

I  tossed  it  over  to  Courtney.  "You're  that  much 
nearer  the  dinner, "  I  said. 

"  And  the  Princess  also, "  he  added. 
"Then  you're  actually  going?"    I  asked. 
"  My  dear  Major,  did  you  ever  doubt  it  ?  " 
"  Your  vagaries  are  past  doubting, "  I  answered 


16      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"And  yours?" 

"I  am  going  under  orders  of  the  War  Depart 
ment.  " 

"Of  course,"  he  answered,  "of  course.  And, 
that  being  so,  you  won't  mind  my  confessing  that 
I'm  going  largely  on  account  of — a  woman. " 

"I  won't  mind  anything  that  gives  me  your 
companionship. " 

"So,  it's  settled,"  he  said.  "Let  us  have  some 
dinner,  and  then  cut  in  for  a  farewell  turn  in  the 
game  of  hearts  upstairs.  " 

"  It  will  be  another  sort  of  game  over  the  water, " 
I  observed. 

"Yes — with  a  different  sort  of  hearts,"  he  said 
thoughtfully. 

"Is  it  possible,  Courtney,  you  are  growing^  senti 
mental  ?  "  I  demanded. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "There's  no  fool 
like  an  old  fool,  you  know, "  he  answered. 

"Unless  it  be  one  that  is  just  old  enough  to  be 
neither  old  nor  young, "  said  I. 

Then  we  went  in  to  dinner. 

Courtney  is  a  good  fellow;  one  of  the  best  friends 
a  man  can  have;  well  born,  rich,  with  powerful 
political  connections  in  both  Parties,  and  having  no 
profession  nor  necessary  occupation  to  tie  him 
down.  His  tastes  ran  to  diplomacy,  and  Secretaries 
of  State — knowing  this  fact,  and  being  further 
advised  of  it  at  various  times  by  certain  prominent 
Senators — had  given  him  numerous  secret  missions 


A  PICTURE  AND  A  WAGER  17 

to  both  Europe  and  South  America.  Legations 
had  been  offered  to  him  but  these  he  had  always 
declined;  for,  as  he  told  me,  he  preferred  the  quiet, 
independent  work,  that  carried  no  responsible 
social  duties  with  it. 

It  happened  that  General  Russell,  our  repre 
sentative  at  the  Court  of  Valeria,  was  home  on 
vacation.  Naturally,  he  would  now  return  in  all 
haste.  Here,  I  imagined,  was  an  explanation  of 
my  sudden  orders.  He  was  an  intimate  of  our 
family;  had  known  me  since  childhood,  and,  doubt 
less,  had  asked  for  my  detail  to  his  household,  and 
also  for  Courtney's.  And  Courtney,  naturally, 
having  been  early  consulted  in  the  matter,  knew 
all  the  facts  and  so  was  able  to  bluff  at  me  with 
them.  It  would  be  just  as  well  to  call  him. 

"Is  General  Russell  crossing  with  us?"  I  asked 
carelessly. 

Courtney  shook  his  head.  "  He  is  not  going  back 
to  Valeria." 

"Oh!"  said  I,  realizing  suddenly  my  mistake, 
"I  didn't  appreciate  I  was  dining  with  an  Ambas 
sador.  " 

"It's  not  yet  announced.  However,  I'm  glad  it 
does  not  change  me, "  he  laughed. 

"I  can  tell  that  better  after  we  reach  Valeria — 
and  you  have  danced  with  the  Princess. " 

He  sipped  his  coffee  meditatively.  "Yes,  there 
may  be  changes  in  Valeria  in  us  both,"  he  said 
presently. 


18       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Don't  do  the  heavy  reproof  if  I  chance  to  forget 
the  difference  in  our  rank, "  I  answered.  "  But  you 
must  manage  one  turn  for  me  with  Her  Royal 
Highness,  if  you're  to  eat  my  dinner,  you  know. " 

"How  many  times  have  you  been  to  Valeria?" 
he  asked  suddenly. 

"  Some  half  dozen, "  I  replied,  surprised. 

"Ever  been  in  the  private  apartments  of  the 
Palace  of  Dornlitz  ?  " 

"No— I  think  not." 

"I  mean,  particularly,  the  corridor  where  hang 
the  portraits  of  the  Kings  ?  " 

"  I  don't  recall  them.  " 

He  laughed  shortly.  "Believe  me,  you  would 
recall  them  well, "  he  said. 

"  What  the  devil  are  you  driving  at  ?  "    I  asked. 

"I'll  show  you  the  night  you  dance  with  the 
Princess. " 

"A  poor  army  officer  doesn't  usually  have  such 
honors. " 

**  No — not  if  he  be  only  a  poor  army  officer.  But, 
if  he  chance  to  be " 

"Well,"  I  said,  "be  what?" 

"  I'll  tell  you  in  the  picture  gallery, "  he  answered. 

And  not  another  word  would  he  say  in  the  matter. 


II 

CONCERNING   ANCESTORS 

HOWEVER,  I  did  not  need  to  wait  so  long  for  my 
answer.  I  knew  it  quite  as  well  as  Courtney — 
maybe  a  trifle  better.  Nevertheless,  it  is  a  bit  jolting 
to  realize,  suddenly,  that  some  one  has  been  prying 
into  your  family  history. 

On  the  west  wall  of  the  Corridor  of  Kings,  in  the 
Palace  of  Dornlitz,  hung  the  full-length  portrait 
of  Henry,  third  of  the  name  and  tenth  of  the  Line. 
A  hundred  and  more  years  had  passed  since  he 
went  to  his  uncertain  reward;  and  now,  in  me, 
his  great-great-grandson,  were  his  face  and  figure 
come  back  to  earth. 

I  had  said,  truly  enough,  that  I  had  never  been 
in  the  Gallery  of  Kings.  But  it  was  not  necessary 
for  me  to  go  there  to  learn  of  this  resemblance  to 
my  famous  ancestor.  For,  handed  down  from  eldest 
son  to  eldest  son,  since  the  first  Dalberg  came  to 
American  shores,  and,  so,  in  my  possession  now, 
was  an  ivory  miniature  of  the  very  portrait  which 
Courtney  had  in  mind. 

And  the  way  of  it,  and  how  I  chanced  to  be  of 

the  blood  royal  of  Valeria,  was  thus: 

19 


20      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Henry  the  Third — he  of  the  portrait — had  two 
sons,  Frederick  and  Hugo,  and  one  daughter,  Adela. 
Frederick,  the  elder  son,  in  due  time  came  to  the 
throne  and,  dying,  passed  the  title  to  his  only  child, 
Henry;  who,  in  turn,  was  succeeded  by  his  only 
child,  Frederick,  the  present  monarch. 

Adela,  the  daughter,  married  Casimir,  King  of 
Titia, — and  of  her  descendants  more  anon. 

Hugo,  the  younger  son,  was  born  some  ten  years 
after  his  brother, — to  be  accurate,  in  1756, — and 
after  the  old  King  had  laid  aside  his  sword  and  re 
tired  into  the  quiet  of  his  later  years.  With  an 
honestly  inherited  love  of  fighting,  and  the  inborn 
hostility  to  England  that,  even  then,  had  existed 
in  the  Valerians  for  a  hundred  years,  Hugo  watched 
with  quickening  interest  the  struggle  between  the 
North  American  Colonies  and  Great  Britain  which 
began  in  1775.  When  the  Marquis  de  Lafayette 
threw  in  his  fortunes  with  the  Americans,  Hugo  had 
begged  permission  to  follow  the  same  course.  This 
the  old  King  had  sternly  refused;  pointing  out  its 
impropriety  from  both  a  political  and  a  family 
aspect. 

But  Hugo  was  far  from  satisfied,  and  his  desire 
to  have  a  chance  at  England  waxing  in  proportion 
as  the  Colonies'  fortunes  waned,  he  at  last  deter 
mined  to  brave  his  fierce  old  father  and  join  the 
struggling  American  army  whether  his  sire  willed  it 
or  no.  His  mind  once  formed,  he  would  have  been 
no  true  son  of  Henry  had  he  hesitated. 


CONCERNING  ANCESTORS  21 

The  King  heard  him  quietly  to  the  end, — too 
quietly,  indeed,  to  presage  well  for  Hugo.  Then 
he  answered: 

"I  take  it  sir,  your  decision  is  made  beyond 
words  of  mine  to  change.  Of  course,  I  could  clap 
you  into  prison  and  cool  your  hot  blood  with  scant 
diet  and  chill  stones,  but  such  would  be  scarce 
fitting  for  a  Dalberg.  Neither  is  it  fitting  that  a 
Prince  of  Valeria  should  fight  against  a  country 
with  which  I  am  at  peace.  Therefore,  the  day  you 
leave  for  America  will  see  your  name  stricken  from 
the  rolls  of  our  House,  your  title  revoked,  and 
your  return  here  prohibited  by  royal  decree.  Do  I 
make  myself  understood?" 

So  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn,  no  one  ever 
accused  my  great-grandfather  of  an  inability  to 
understand  plain  speech,  and  old  Henry's  was  not 
obscure.  Indeed,  Hugo  remembered  it  so  well  that 
he  made  it  a  sort  of  preface  in  the  Journal  which 
he  began  some  months  thereafter,  and  kept  most 
carefully  to  the  very  last  day  of  his  life.  The  Journal 
says  he  made  no  answer  to  his  father  save  a  low 
bow. 

Two  days  later,  as  plain  Hugo  Dalberg,  he  de 
parted  for  America.  For  some  time  he  was  a  vol 
unteer  Aide  to  General  Washington.  Later,  Con 
gress  commissioned  him  colonel  of  a  regiment  of 
horse;  and,  as  such,  he  served  to  the  close  of  the 
war.  When  the  Continental  Army  was  disbanded, 
he  purchased  a  place  upon  the  eastern  shore  of 


22       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Maryland;  and,  marrying  into  one  of  the  aristo 
cratic  families  of  the  neighborhood,  settled  down 
to  the  life  of  a  simple  country  gentleman. 

He  never  went  back  to  the  land  of  his  birth,  nor, 
indeed,  even  to  Europe.  And  this,  though,  one  day, 
there  came  to  his  mansion  on  the  Chesapeake 
the  Valerian  Minister  to  America  and,  with  many 
bows  and  genuflections,  presented  a  letter  from  his 
brother  Frederick,  announcing  the  death  of  their 
royal  father  and  his  own  accession,  and  offering  to 
restore  to  Hugo  his  rank  and  estates  if  he  would 
return  to  court. 

And  this  letter,  like  his  sword,  his  Order  of  tke 
Cincinnati,  his  commissions  and  the  miniature,  has 
been  the  heritage  of  the  eldest  son.  In  his  soldier 
days  his  nearest  comrade  had  been  Armand,  Marquis 
de  la  Rouerie,  and  for  him  his  first-born  was  christ 
ened  ;  and  hence  my  own  queer  name — for  an  Ameri 
can:  Armand  Dalberg. 

There  was  one  of  the  traditions  of  our  House 
that  had  been  scrupulously  honored:  there  was 
always  a  Dalberg  on  the  rolls  of  the  Army;  though 
not  always  was  it  the  head  of  the  family,  as  in  my 
case.  For  the  rest,  we  buried  our  royal  descent. 
And  though  it  was,  naturally,  well  known  to  my 
great-grandsire's  friends  and  neighbors,  yet,  in 
the  succeeding  generations,  it  has  been  forgotten 
and  never  had  I  heard  it  referred  to  by  a  stranger. 

Therefore,  I  was  surprised  and  a  trifle  annoyed  at 
Courtney's  discovery.  Of  course,  it  was  possible 


CONCERNING  ANCESTORS  23 

that  he  had  been  attracted  only  by  my  physical 
resemblance  to  the  Third  Henry  and  was  not  aware 
of  the  relationship;  but  this  was  absurdly  unlikely. 
Courtney  was  not  one  to  stop  at  half  a  truth  and 
Dalberg  was  no  common  name.  Doubtless  the 
picture  had  first  put  him  on  the  track  and  after 
that  the  rest  was  easy.  What  he  did  riot  know, 
however,  but  had  been  manoeuvring  to  discover, 
was  how  far  I  was  known  at  the  Court  of  Valeria. 
Well,  he  was  welcome  to  what  he  had  got. 

Now,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  quite  likely  that 
the  Dalbergs  of  Dornlitz  had  totally  forgotten  the 
Dalbergs  of  America.  Since  Frederick's  minister  had 
rumbled  away  from  that  mansion  on  the  Chesapeake, 
a  century  and  more  ago,  there  had  been  no  word 
passed  between  us.  Why  should  there  be?  We 
had  been  disinherited  and  banished.  They  had 
had  their  offer  of  reinstatement  courteously  refused. 
We  were  quits. 

I  think  I  was  the  first  of  the  family  to  set  foot 
within  Valeria  since  Hugo  left  it.  Ten  years  ago, 
during  a  summer's  idling  in  Europe,  I  had  been 
seized  with  the  desire  to  see  the  land  of  my  people. 
It  was  a  breaking  of  our  most  solemn  canon,  yet  I 
broke  it  none  the  less.  Nor  was  that  the  only  time. 
However,  I  had  the  grace, — and,  possibly,  the 
precaution, — to  change  my  name  on  such  occasions. 
In  the  Kingdom  of  Valeria  I  was  that  well-known 
American,  Mr.  John  Smith. 

I  did  the  ordinary  tourist;  visited  the  places  of 


24      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

interest,  and  put  up  at  the  regular  hotels.  Occasion 
ally,  I  was  stared  at  rather  impertinently  by  some 
officer  of  the  Guards  and  I  knew  he  had  noted  my 
resemblance  to  the  national  hero.  I  never  made 
any  effort  to  be  presented  to  His  Majesty  nor  to 
establish  my  relationship.  I  should  have  been 
much  annoyed  had  anything  led  to  it  being  dis 
covered. 

Once,  in  the  park  of  the  palace,  I  had  passed  the 
King  walking  with  a  single  aide-de-camp,  and  his 
surprise  was  such  he  clean  forgot  to  return  my 
salute;  and  a  glance  back  showed  him  at  a  stand 
and  gazing  after  me.  I  knew  he  was  thinking  of 
the  portrait  in  the  Corridor  of  Kings.  That  was 
the  last  time  I  had  seen  my  royal  cousin. 

The  next  day,  while  riding  along  a  secluded 
bridle  path  some  miles  from  Dornlitz,  I  came  upon 
a  woman  leading  a  badly-limping  horse.  She  was 
alone, — no  groom  in  sight, — and  drawing  rein  I 
dismounted  and  asked  if  I  could  be  of  service. 
Then  I  saw  her  face,  and  stepped  back  in  surprise. 
Her  pictures  were  too  plentiful  in  the  capital  for 
me  to  make  mistake.  It  was  the  Princess  Dehra. 

I  bowed  low.  "  Your  Royal  Highnesses  pardon, " 
I  said.  "  I  did  not  mean  to  presume.  " 

She  measured  me  in  a  glance.  "Indeed,  you  are 
most  opportune,"  she  said,  with  a  frank  smile. 
"I  have  lost  the  groom, — his  horse  was  too  slow, — 
and  I've  been  punished  by  Lotta  picking  a  stone 
I  cannot  remove. " 


CONCERNING  ANCESTORS  25 

"By  your  leave."  I  said,  and  lifted  the  mare's 
hoof.  Pressing  back  the  frog  I  drew  out  the  lump 
of  sharp  gravel. 

"  It  looks  so  easy, "  she  said. 

"It  was  paining  her  exceedingly,  but  she  is  all 
right  now.  *' 

"  Then  I  may  mount  ?" 

I  bowed. 

"  Without  hurting  Lotta  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  turned  the  mare  about  and  dropped  my  hand 
into  position.  For  a  moment  she  hesitated.  Then 
there  was  the  swish  of  a  riding  skirt,  the  glint  of  a 
patent-leather  boot,  an  arched  foot  in  my  palm,  and 
without  an  ounce  of  lift  from  me  she  was  in  the  saddle. 

I  stepped  back  and  raised  my  hat. 

She  gathered  the  reins  slowly;  then  bent  and 
patted  the  mare's  neck. 

I  made  no  move. 

"I  am  waiting,"  she  said  presently,  with  a  quick 
glance  my  way. 

"I  do  not  see  the  groom,"  said  I,  looking  back 
along  the  road. 

She  gave  a  little  laugh.  "You  won't,"  she  said. 
"  He  thinks  I  went  another  way. " 

"Then  Your  Highness  means " 

"You  do  not  look  so  stupid,"  she  remarked. 

"Sometimes  men's  looks  are  deceiving." 

"Then,  sir,  Her  Highness  means  she  is  waiting 
for  you  to  mount, "  she  said,  very  graciously. 

"  As  her  groom  ?  "    I  asked. 


£6      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"As  anything  you  choose,  so  long  as  you  ride 
beside  me  to  the  hill  above  the  Park. " 

I  took  saddle  at  the  vault  and  we  trotted  away. 

"  Why  did  you  make  me  ask  for  your  attendance  ?  " 
she  demanded. 

"  Because  I  dared  not  offer  it. " 

"  Another'deception  in  your  looks, "  she  replied. 

I  laughed.    She  had  evened  up. 

"You  are  a  soldier — an  American  officer?" 
she  said  suddenly. 

"Your  Highness  has  guessed  most  shrewdly," 
I  answered,  in  surprise. 

"  Are  you  staying  at  the  Embassy  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No, "  said  I.  "  I  am  not  on  the  staff.  I  am  only 
a  bird  of  passage. " 

"  Do  you  know  General  Russell  ?  " 

"My  father  knew  him,  I  believe,"  I  answered, 
evasively,  and  turned  the  talk  into  less  personal 
matters. 

When  we  reached  the  hill  I  drew  rein.  Down  in 
the  valley  lay  the  Summer  Palace  and  the  gates  of 
the  Park  were  but  a  few  hundred  yards  below  us. 
I  dismounted  to  say  good-bye. 

"  I  am  very  grateful  for  your  courtesy, "  she  said. 

"It  is  for  the  stranger  to  be  grateful  for  your 
trust, "  I  answered. 

She  smiled, — that  smile  was  getting  into  my  poor 
brain — "A  woman  usually  knows  a  gentleman," 
she  said. 

I  bowed. 


CONCERNING  ANCESTORS  27 

"And  under  certain  circumstances  she  likes  to 
know  his  name, "  she  added. 

For  a  moment  I  was  undecided.  Should  I  tell 
her  and  claim  my  cousinship  ?  I  was  sorely  tempted. 
Then  I  saw  what  a  mistake  it  would  be, — she  would 
not  believe  it, — and  answered: 

"John  Smith,  Your  Royal  Highness,  and  your 
most  obedient  servant. " 

She  must  have  noticed  my  hesitation,  for  she 
studied  my  face  an  instant,  then  said,  with  a  pause 
between  each  word  and  a  peculiar  stress  on  the 
name: 

"General— Smith?" 

"Simple  Captain,"  I  answered.  "We  do  not 
climb  so  rapidly  in  our  Army. " 

Just  then,  from  the  barracks  three  miles  away, 
came  the  boom  of  the  evening  gun. 

"  Oh ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  am  late.  I  must  hasten. 
Good-bye,  mon  Capitaine;  you  have  been  very 
kind." 

She  drew  off  her  gauntlet  and  extended  her  hand. 
I  bent  and  kissed, — possibly  too  lingeringly, — the 
little  fingers. 

"Farewell,  Princess,"  I  said.  And  then,  half 
Under  my  breath,  I  added :  "  Till  we  meet  again. " 

She  heard,  and  again  that  smile.  *  Auf  Wieder- 
sehen '  be  it, "  she  answered. 

Then  she  rode  away. 

I  leaned  against  my  horse's  shoulder  and  watched 
her  as  she  went  slowly  down  the  hill,  the  full  glory 


28      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

of  the  sinking  sun  upon  her,  and  the  shadows  of 
the  great  trees  close  on  either  side.  Presently  there 
came  a  bend  in  the  road  and,  turning  in  the  saddle, 
she  waved  her  hand. 

I  answered  with  my  hat.    Then  she  was  gone. 

That  was  how  I  met  the  Princess  Royal  of  Valeria. 
And,  unless  she  has  told  it  (which,  somehow,  I 
doubt),  none  knows  it  but  ourselves.  I  had  never 
seen  her  since.  Perhaps  that  is  why  I  was  quite 
content  for  Courtney  to  win  his  bet.  Truly,  a 
man's  heart  does  not  age  with  his  hair. 


m 

IN    DORNLITZ    AGAIN 

THE  declaration  of  war  by  Titia  had  come  so 
suddenly  that  when  Courtney  and  I  sailed  for 
Europe,  the  Powers  were  still  in  the  air  and  watching 
one  another.  No  battle  had  been  fought;  but  the 
armies  were  frowning  at  each  other  on  the  frontier, 
and  several  skirmishes  had  occurred. 

Ostensibly,  the  trouble  was  over  a  slice  of  territory 
which  Henry  the  Third  had  taken  from  Titia  as  an 
indemnity  for  some  real  or  fancied  wrongs  done 
him.  Valeria,  with  its  great  general  and  powerful 
army,  was  too  strong  in  those  days  for  Titia  to  do 
more  than  protest — and,  then,  to  take  its  punish 
ment,  which,  for  some  reason  that  was  doubtless 
sufficient  to  him,  Henry  had  seen  fit  to  make  as 
easy  as  it  might  be,  by  giving  his  daughter,  Adela, 
to  Casimir  for  wife. 

Whether  the  lady  went  voluntarily  or  not  I  cannot 
say.  Yet  it  was,  doubtless,  the  same  with  both 
Bangs:  The  one  got  an  unwilling  province;  the 
other,  an  unwilling  bride.  Only,  Titia's  trouble 
was  soonest  over. 

This  ravished  Murdol  had  always  been  a  standing 

29 


30       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

menace  to  the  peace  of  the  two  countries;  Titia  had 
never  forgiven  its  seizure,  and  Valeria  was  afflicted 
with  the  plague  of  disaffected  subjects  on  its  very 
border.  Here,  as  I  have  said,  was  the  real  casus 
belli, — a  constant  irritation  that  had  at  length  got 
past  bearing. 

But,  in  truth,  the  actual  breach  was  due  to  a 
woman.  The  Crown  Prince  of  Titia  had  come  a 
wooing  of  the  Princess  Royal  of  Valeria,  and  had 
been  twice  refused  by  her.  King  Frederick  had  left 
the  question  entirely  in  her  hands.  Her  choice  was 
her  own,  to  many  or  to  decline.  As  a  matter  of 
state  policy  the  match  was  greatly  desired  by  him 
and  his  Ministers.  They  were  becoming  very  weary 
of  Murdol  and  the  turmoil  it  maintained  on  the 
border,  and  the  great  force  of  troops  required  there 
to  preserve  order.  Then,  too,  Titia  had  grown 
vastly  in  wealth  and  population  since  old  Henry's 
time,  and,  now,  was  likely  more  than  a  match  for 
its  ancient  enemy.  Frederick  was  aging  and 
desired  peace  in  his  closing  years.  He  had  long 
wished  for  a  diplomatic  way  to  rid  himself  of  the 
troublesome  province,  and  the  marriage  of  Casimir 
and  Dehra  would  afford  it.  Murdol  could  be  settled 
upon  the  Princess  as  her  dower. 

It  was  an  admirable  solution  of  the  whole  vexing 
question.  Yet,  unlike  old  Henry,  Frederick  was  the 
father  before  he  was  the  King;  and,  beyond  telling 
the  Princess  frankly  the  policy  which  moved  him 
in  the  matter,  he  did  nothing  to  coerce  her.  But  the 


31 

Ministers  had  no  scruples  of  affection  nor  of  kinship 
to  control  them  and  they  brought  all  sorts  of  per 
suasive  pressure  upon  her  to  obtain  her  consent  to 
the  match.  All  this  was  known  to  the  Kingdom, 
and  the  vast  majority  of  the  people  were  with  the 
Princess.  The  Army  was  with  her  to  a  man. 

The  first  proposal  Dehra  had  declined  promptly 
to  the  Prince  in  person.  He  had  made  it  lover-like, 
and  not  through  the  diplomatic  channels.  After 
that  the  Titian  Foreign  Office  took  a  hand,  and  the 
poor  girl's  troubles  began. 

For  six  months  the  matter  pended, — and  still 
Dehra  held  firm.  Then  Titia  mobilized  its  army 
and  demanded  a  decision  within  two  days: — either 
the  Princess  or  Murdol.  It  got  a  "No"  in  two 
hours.  The  declaration  of  war  followed  straight 
way. 

Most  of  these  facts  were  already  known  to  me. 
Those  of  latest  happening  came  to  Courtney  from 
the  State  Department  on  the  eve  of  our  sailing. 

"  It  looks  like  a  one-battle  war, "  he  had  observed. 

"Add  a  letter  to  your  sentence  and  you  will  be 
nearer  right, "  I  answered. 

He  laughed.     "  A  none-battle  war,  you  mean. " 

And  so  it  proved.  When  we  landed  it  was  to 
find  that  Germany  had  offered  to  mediate,  and 
that,  while  the  two  Kingdoms  were  thinking  it  over, 
a  truce  had  been  declared.  Consequently,  instead 
of  hurrying  straight  to  the  Valerian  army.  I  jour 
neyed  leisurely  with  Courtney  to  the  capital.  There 


32      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

the  first  news  that  met  us  was  that  Germany's 
mediation  had  been  accepted  and  that  the  war  was 
at  an  end — for  the  present,  at  least. 

So,  once  again,  had  the  Powers,  in  the  interest  of 
European  peace,  struck  up  the  swords. 

As  we  drove  from  the  station  to  the  Embassy 
we  observed  flags  flying  from  almost  every  house, 
and  that  the  public  buildings  were  lavishly  decorated. 

"Peace  seems  to  be  well  received,"  I  remarked. 

"It's  the  King's  birthday,"  Courtney  answered. 

"  And  a  very  happy  one,  I  fancy. " 

Courtney  stared  at  me.    "  How  so  ?  "  he  said. 

"He  can  now  both  keep  his  daughter  and  be  rid 
of  Murdol." 

"  The  Princess  is  saved,  of  course,  but  in  deference 
to  the  national  self-respect,  he  dare  give  up  Murdol 
only  in  one  contingency: — if  Titia  can  be  persuaded 
to  pay  a  money  value  for  it.  Which  I  doubt." 

I  said  nothing.    I,  too,  doubted. 

"However,  it's  not  important  to  us,"  said  he. 
"Whatever  the  outcome  the  lady  will  be  here  long 
enough  for  you  to  lose  the  wager." 

"  Damn  the  wager,"  I  exclaimed. 

"Damn  everything  you  have  a  mind  to,  my  dear 
fellow,"  he  encouraged. 

"  And  you  in  particular,"  I  said. 

"  Wherefore,  my  dear  Major  ?  "  he  laughed. 

"For  suggesting  this  fool  thing." 

"Poor  boy!  I  should  have  regarded  your  youth 
ful  impetuosity." 


IN  DORNLITZ  AGAIN  33 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"  And  grey  hairs, "  he  added. 

"I've  a  mind  to  toss  you  out  of  the  carriage," 
said  I. 

"Do  it, — and  save  me  the  trouble  of  getting  my 
self  out,"  he  answered;  and  then  we  drew  under  the 
porte  cochere  at  the  Embassy. 

The  matter  of  a  residence  had  not  bothered  Court 
ney.  He  simply  took  General  Russell's  lease  off  his 
hands,  and  twenty  thousand  a  year  rent  with  it. 
I  was  to  live  at  the  Legation,  there  being  no 
Ambassadorial  women  folks  to  make  the  staff 
de  trop.  Naturally,  I  was  quite  satisfied.  It  was  a 
bit  preferable  to  hotel  hospitality.  And,  then,  the 
assistants  were  good  fellows. 

Cosgrove,  who  had  been  First  Secretary  for  ten 
years,  was  from  the  estate  next  my  own  on  the 
Eastern  Shore.  It  was  through  him  I  had  been  able 
to  preserve  my  incog,  so  securely  during  my  former 
visits  to  Valeria.  And  if  he  had  any  curiosity  as  to 
my  motives,  he  was  courteous  enough  never  to 
show  it.  "The  best  assistant  in  Europe,"  Courtney 
had  once  pronounced  him. 

Then  there  was  Pryor,  the  Naval  Attache.  He 
had  been  off  "cruising  with  the  Army,"  as  Cosgrove 
put  it,  pending  my  arrival  and  was  not  yet  returned 
to  Domlitz.  The  others  of  the  office  force  were 
young  fellows, — rich  boys,  either  in  presente  or 
future, — who,  likely,  could  only  be  depended  upon 
to  do  the  wrong  thing.  Being  fit  for  nothing  at 


34      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

home,  therefore,  they  had  been  considered  to  be 
particularly  well  qualified  for  the  American  dip 
lomatic  service. 

My  room  overlooked  the  Avenue,  and  the  writing- 
desk  was  near  the  window.  I  was  drawing  the 
formal  report  to  the  War  Department  of  my  arrival 
at  Dornlitz  and  the  status  political  and  military, 
when  the  clatter  of  hoofs  on  the  driveway  drew 
my  attention.  It  was  a  tall  officer  in  the  green-and- 
gold  of  the  Royal  Guards,  and  pulling  up  sharply 
he  tossed  his  rein  to  his  orderly.  I  heard  the  door 
open  and  voices  in  the  hall;  and,  then,  in  a  few 
minutes,  he  came  out  and  rode  away,  with  the 
stiff,  hard  seat  of  the  European  cavalryman.  I  was 
still  watching  him  when  Courtney  entered. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  him  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  haven't  seen  enough  of  him  to  think,"  said  I. 

"  Not  even  enough  to  wonder  who  he  is  ?  " 

I  yawned.  "  His  uniform  tells  me  he  is  a  colonel 
of  the  Guard." 

"But  nothing  else?" 

"I  can  read  a  bit  more." 

"From  the  uniform?"  he  asked. 

I  nodded. 

"You're  a  veritable  Daniel,"  Courtney  laughed. 
"What  saith  the  writing — or  rather,  what  saith 
the  uniform  ?" 

"It's  very  simple  to  those  who  read  uniforms." 

"So!  "  said  he.    "  I  await  the  interpretation." 

"It's  too  easy,"  I  retorted.    "A  Point  Plebe  could 


IN  DORNLITZ  AGAIN  35 

do  it.  Your  visitor  was  one  of  His  Majesty's  Aides- 
de-Camp  bearing  an  invitation  to  the  ball  at  the 
Palace  to-night." 

For  once  I  saw  Courtney's  face  show  surprise. 

"  How  did  you  guess  it  ?  "  he  said,  after  a  pause. 

"A  diplomat  should  watch  the  newspapers," 
said  I,  and  pointed  to  this  item  in  the  Court  News  of 
that  morning's  issue : 

"  His  Excellency  the  Honorable  Richard  Court 
ney,  the  newly  accredited  American  Ambassador,  is 
expected  to  arrive  to-day.  He  is  accompanied 
by  Major  Dalberg,  the  Military  Attache. 
His  Majesty  has  ordered  his  Aide-de-Camp, 
Colonel  Bernheim,  to  invite  them  to  the  Birthday 
Ball  to-night;  where  they  will  be  honored  by  a 
special  presentation." 

Courtney  read  it  carefully.  "At  last  I  see  the 
simple  truth  in  a  daily  paper,"  he  commented. 
"  But,  as  for  you,  my  friend,  button  your  coat  well 
over  your  heart  for  it's  in  for  a  hard  thump  to 
night." 

"So?  "said  I. 

"There  won't  be  so  much  indifference  after 
you've  met  Her  and — seen  a  certain  picture  in  the 
Corridor  of  Kings,"  he  retorted,  with  a  superior 
smile. 

"  Think  not  ?  "  said  I,  with  another  yawn.  "  What 
if  I've  done  both  years  ago?" 

He  eyed  me  sharply.  "It's  foolish  to  bluff  when 
a  show-down  is  certain,"  he  said. 

"So  one  learns  in  the  army." 


36      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Of  course  not  every  hand  needs  to  bluff,"  he 
said  slowly. 

"No — not  every  hand,"  I  agreed. 

He  went  over  to  the  door.  On  the  threshold  he 
turned. 

"  I  wonder  if  this  is  my  laugh,  or  yours,  to-night," 
he  said. 

"We  will  laugh  together,"  I  answered. 

Then  he  went  out 


IV 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN 

I  WOULD  have  been  rather  a  wooden  sort  of  in 
dividual  had  I  felt  no  stir  in  my  heart  as,  for  the 
first  time,  I  entered  the  Castle  of  my  ancestors  and 
stood  in  the  ante-chamber  waiting  to  be  presented 
to  the  Head  of  my  House.  I  believe  I  am  as  phleg 
matic  as  most  men,  but  I  would  give  very  little  for 
one  who,  under  like  conditions,  would  not  feel  a 
press  of  emotion.  I  know  it  came  to  me  with  sharp 
intensity, — and  I  see  no  shame  in  the  admission;  nor 
will  any  one  else  whose  heart  is  the  heart  of  an  honest 
man.  I  have  no  patience  with  those  creatures  who 
deride  sentiment.  They  are  either  liars  or  idiots. 
Religion,  itself,  is  sentimental;  and  so  is  every  refined 
instinct  of  our  lives.  Destroy  the  sentimental  in 
man  and  the  brute  alone  remains. 

We  waited  but  a  moment  and  then  were  ushered 
into  the  royal  presence.  The  greeting  was  entirely 
informal.  Courtney  was  no  stranger  to  Valeria, 
and  had  met  the  King  frequently  during  the  last 
ten  years.  Frederick  came  forward  and  shook  his 
hand  most  cordially  and  welcomed  him  to  Court. 
It  was  like  the  meeting  of  two  friends.  During  it 
I  had  time  to  observe  the  King. 

37 


38      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  wore  the  green  uniform  of  a  General,  with  the 
Jewel  of  the  Order  of  the  Lion  around  his  neck. 
His  sixty  odd  years  sat  very  lightly  and  left  no  mark 
save  in  the  facial  wrinkles  and  grey  hair.  He  was  a 
true  Dalberg  in  height  and  general  appearance,  and 
with  the  strong,  straight  nose  that  was  as  distinctive 
to  our  family  as  was  the  beak  to  the  Bourbons. 

I  had  remained  in  the  background  during  Court 
ney's  greeting,  but,  when  he  turned  and  presented 
me,  I  advanced  and  bowed.  As  I  straightened,  the 
King  extended  his  hand  saying: 

"We  are  glad  to " 

Then  he  caught  a  full  view  of  my  face  and  stopped, 
staring.  I  dropped  his  hand  and  stepped  back; 
and,  for  a  space,  no  one  moved.  Only,  I  shot  a  side 
glance  at  Courtney  and  caught  a  half  smile  on  his 
lips.  Then  Frederick  recovered  himself. 

"Your  pardon,  sir,  but  I  did  not  catch  the  name," 
he  said. 

Courtney's  finesse  saved  me  the  embarrassment 
of  a  self -introduction. 

"Major  Dalberg,  of  the  United  States  Army, 
Your  Majesty,"  he  said  quickly.  "The  repre 
sentative  of  our  War  Department  with  your  army." 

"Dalberg — Dalberg,"  he  muttered;  then  added, 
perfunctorily:  "Our  army  is  at  your  service,  sir, 
though  I  fear  we  shall  be  unable  to  give  you  the 
war." 

"The  army  is  quite  enough,  Sire,"  I  began;  but 
it  was  plain  he  did  not  hear  me.  He  was  studying 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  39 

my  face  again  and  thinking.  ,  Courtney,  I  could  see, 
was  having  the  finest  sort  of  sport.  I  could  have 
throttled  him.. 

"You  have  our  name,  Major,"  said  the  King. 
"  May  I  ask  if  it  is  a  common  one  in  America  ?  " 

"I  know  of  no  family  but  my  own  that  bears  it, 
there, "  I  answered. 

He  sat  down  and  motioned  for  us  to  do  like 
wise. 

"I  am  interested,"  said  he.  "Has  your  family 
been  long  in  America  ?  " 

"Since  the  year  1777." 

He  leaned  a  bit  forward.  "That  was  during 
your  Revolutionary  War." 

"  Yes,  Your  Majesty.  It  was  that  year  Lafayette 
joined  Washington's  Army."  That  will  give  him 
a  surprise,  I  thought. 

It  did. 

"  Do  you  know  the  name  of  the  Dalberg  of  1777  ?  " 
he  asked  quickly. 

I  saw  no  profit  in  evasion.  "He  was  Hugo, 
second  son  of  Henry  the  Third  of  Valeria,"  I  re 
plied. 

"I  knew  it,"  he  exclaimed,  jumping  up  and 
coming  over  to  me.  "  And  you  are  ?  " 

"His  great-grandson  and  eldest  male  heir." 

"Then,  as  such,  I  salute  you,  cousin,"  he  said, 
and  suddenly  kissed  me  on  the  cheek. 

Were  you  ever  kissed  by  a  man  ?  If  so,  and  you 
are  a  woman,  it  doubtless  was  pleasant  enough,  and, 


40      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

maybe,  not  unusual;  but  if  you  are  a  man,  it  will 
surprise  you  mightily  the  first  time. 

Of  course,  I  understood  all  the  significance  of 
Frederick's  action.  Royalty  on  the  Continent  so 
greets  only  royalty  or  relatives.  It  meant  I  was 
accepted  as  one  of  the  Blood  and  a  Prince  of  my 
House.  I  admit  my  pride  was  stirred. 

"Your  Majesty  overwhelms  me,"  I  said,  bowing 
again.  "I  expected  no  recognition.  I  am  entitled 
to  none.  Our  name  was  stricken  from  the  Family 
Roll." 

He  made  a  deprecating  gesture.  "Don't  let  that 
disturb  you,  cousin." 

"And  believe  me,  also,  I  had  no  intention  to  dis 
close  my  relationship,"  I  protested. 

The  King  laughed.  "You  could  not  hide  it  with 
that  face,"  he  said. 

I  must  have  flushed,  for  he  exclaimed:  "Ha! 
You  know  that,  do  you  ?  " 

For  answer  I  drew  out  the  miniature  of  old  Henry, 
which  I  had  brought  hoping  for  an  opportunity 
to  compare  it  with  the  original,  and  handed  it  to 
him. 

He  gave  it  a  quick  glance  and  nodded.  "Yes, 
that  went  with  Hugo,"  he  said. 

I  was  surprised  and  looked  it. 

"Oh,  the  family  records  are  very  complete  as  to 
the  affair  of  your  headstrong  ancestor,"  he  ex 
plained.  "Old  Henry  himself  set  it  all  out  in  his 
journal  ;  and  he  speaks  of  this  very  miniature 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  41 

as  having  been  given  to  Hugo  by  his  mother,  the 
day  he  left  Dornlitz.  There  were  two  of  them, 
copied  from  the  portrait  in  the  Corridor."  He 
crossed  to  a  cabinet.  "And  here  is  the  other  one," 
he  said. 

I  glanced  at  Courtney.  He  threw  up  his  hands 
in  defeat;  at  the  same  time,  however,  signifying  that 
I  should  press  my  advantage  while  the  King  was  so 
well  disposed. 

But  I  shook  my  head.  My  descent  had  been 
acknowledged,  and  that  was  quite  enough — more 
than  enough,  indeed.  I  had  come  to  Valeria  as  a 
Major  in  the  American  Army.  I  sought  no  favors 
from  the  Dalbergs  here.  From  which  it  would 
seem  that  a  bit  of  Hugo's  stubborn  independence 
had  come  down  to  me.  As  for  Courtney,  the  shrug 
of  his  shoulders  was  very  eloquent  of  what  he 
thought  of  such  independence. 

"Perchance  you  never  heard  of  a  certain  letter 
dispatched  to  Hugo  by  his  brother,  Frederick,  after 
Henry's  death  ?  "  the  King  asked. 

"And  delivered  by  his  Ambassador,"  I  supple 
mented. 

"The  same.  Hugo,  too,  seems  to  have  kept  a 
journal." 

"He  kept  the  letter  itself,  and  a  copy  of  his 
answer,"  I  added. 

The  King  laughed.  "Altogether,  Hugo  must 
have  been  a  rare  fine  fellow,  with  a  mind  of  his 
own." 


42      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  He  was  a  son  of  Henry  the  Third,"  I  answered. 

The  King  nodded.  "Yet  'twas  a  pity  he  did 
not  accept  Frederick's  offer." 

"I  fancy  the  new  life  was  more  to  his  mind." 

"Doubtless, — but,  had  he  returned,  it  would  be 
you  and  not  Ferdinand  of  Lotzen  who  would  be 
the  Heir  Presumptive  of  Valeria." 

I  smiled.    "Had  he  returned  I  would  not  be  I." 

"True  enough,"  said  he.  "But  think  of  the 
crown  of  your  ancestors  that  might  be  yours." 

"It  is  enough  to  be  a  Dalberg.  I  have  never 
thought  of  the  crown,"  I  answered. 

"There  spoke  the  son  of  Hugo,"  he  said. 

Then,  suddenly,  he  seemed  to  remember  that  we 
were  not  alone,  and,  springing  up,  he  sought  out 
Courtney,  who,  though  unable  to  get  out  of  ear 
shot,  had  courteously  retired  to  the  remotest  corner 
of  the  room. 

"My  dear  Courtney,"  he  exclaimed.  "I  have 
been  unpardonably  rude.  I  forgot  you  completely. 
Yet,  you  brought  it  on  yourself;  you  should  have 
prepared  me  for  my  cousin." 

But  Courtney  had  his  part  to  play.  He  must  keep 
the  American  Ambassador  free  from  fault. 

"Major  Dalberg  never  disclosed  his  relationship 
to  your  Majesty,"  he  said,  formally;  "else,  as  you 
are  well  aware,  he  could  not  have  been  given  the 
detail  without  your  express  permission.  As  it  is, 
I  shall  be  obliged  to  report  the  matter  to  my  Govern 
ment  and " 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  43 

"  Do  so,  by  all  means,  if  it  will  keep  your  records 
clear,"  the  King  cut  in,  in  the  same  formal  tone; 
"but  be  careful,  at  the  same  time,  to  say  to  your 
State  Department  that  we  shall  deem  it  a  personal 
affront  if  our  Kinsman  be  recalled.  And,  now,  sir," 
he  went  on  with  an  amused  smile  and  dropping  the 
conventional  air,  "confess  it.  Didn't  you  suspect 
the  relationship  ?  " 

"I  have  been  a  guest  at  the  Court  of  Valeria  too 
often  not  to  have  noted  a  certain  resemblance," 
Courtney  admitted  readily.  Then,  like  a  good 
fellow,  he  set  me  right.  "But,  be  assured,  Your 
Majesty,  not  I  nor  I  believe  anyone,  has  ever  heard 
Major  Dalberg  speak  of  his  royal  descent;  though  I 
admit  I  have  tried  hard  to  draw  him  to  it." 

The  King  looked  at  me  and  nodded  in  approval. 

"It  is  a  law  of  the  family,  laid  down  by  Hugo 
himself,"  I  explained.  "Though,  of  course,  our 
silence  does  not  prevent  anyone  from  proving  the 
fact  who  investigates  our  genealogy,"  and  I  glanced 
significantly  at  Courtney. 

This  time  it  was  he  who  doubled  his  fist  at  me. 

Then  a  door  behind  me  opened  and  I  heard  the 
trail  of  a  gown — whose,  it  was  easy  to  guess.  Only 
one  woman  could  have  the  privilege  of  entering  the 
King's  presence  unbidden. 

As  Courtney  and  I  arose  and  stepped  back,  the 
Princess  halted  uncertainly. 

"Come,  Dehra,"  said  the  King.  "You  know  the 
American  Ambassador." 


44      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Courtney  bowed,  but  the  Princess  held  out  her 
hand,  saying  cordially: 

"  We  are  glad  to  welcome  Mr.  Courtney  here  as  a 
resident." 

Courtney  made  some  fitting  reply, — there  was 
always  one  on  the  end  of  his  tongue.  And  then  the 
King  turned  to  me. 

"Major  Dalberg,"  he  said,  "salute  your  cousin." 

I  do  not  know  which  cousin  was  the  more  startled, 
but  I  am  quite  sure  which  was  the  more  embarrassed. 
In  truth,  for  a  moment,  I  was  too  confused  to  move. 
The  one  thought  that  kept  pounding  through  my 
brain  was :  "  What  am  I  expected  to  do  ?  "  Fred 
erick  had  saluted  me  with  a  kiss;  was  it  possible  he 
meant  me  to  kiss  Dehra !  I  glanced  across  at  Court 
ney, — he  was  struggling  to  suppress  his  merriment, — 
then  back  at  the  Princess;  and  caught  what  I  was 
fool  enough  to  imagine  was  a  look  of  glad  surprise. 
She  had  recognized  and  remembered  me. 

That  settled  it.  I  stepped  forward  and  deliber 
ately  kissed  her  on  the  cheek. 

The  next  instant  my  mouth  stung  with  the  blow 
of  an  open  hand,  and  I  was  looking  down  into  the 
flashing  eyes  and  flaming  face  of  the  Princess. 

It  was  quite  evident  I  had  not  been  expected  to 
kiss  her. 

"Sir!"  she  exclaimed.  "Sir!"  And  with  each 
word  she  seemed  to  strike  me  afresh.  Then  words 
failed  her,  and  with  another  gesture  of  disdain  she 
gave  me  her  back. 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  45 

"  Your  Majesty,  who  is  this ?  "  she  began. 

Then  she  stopped  and  I  heard  her  catch  her 
breath.  The  next  moment,  with  high-held  head 
she  swept  by  me  and  from  the  room.  And  with  her 
going  crumbled  all  the  bright  castles  I  had  builded 
on  the  memories  of  that  ride  in  the  forest,  six  years 
before. 

Of  course  I  had  been  a  silly  fool.  The  fiend 
himself  must  have  possessed  me.  But  I  had  kissed 
her,  and  that  was  something  to  remember, — though, 
doubtless,  that  itself  but  proved  me  the  greater  idiot. 
All  this  and  much  more  whirled  through  my  mind 
in  the  moment  of  the  Princess's  leaving;  then  I  turned, 
expecting  to  face  the  scorn  of  the  King, — and  found 
him  wiping  the  tears  from  his  eyes  and  shaking 
with  laughter. 

So  this  was  what  had  sent  Dehra  from  the  room 
in  anger.  And,  straightway,  the  skies  brightened. 
Plainly,  if  her  father  were  not  offended,  I  might  yet 
make  my  peace  with  her. 

Then  I,  too,  began  to  smile.  Doubtless  there 
was  a  funny  side  to  it;  though  it  seemed  to  be  more 
evident  to  the  spectators  than  to  me.  At  any  rate, 
the  King  still  laughed,  and  so  did  Courtney;  though 
quietly  and  discreetly.  His,  I  admit,  I  did  not 
relish;  so  I  spoke. 

"I  am  very  sorry,  Your  Majesty;  I  meant  no 
offence "  I  began. 

"Nonsense,  Major,"  the  King  interrupted.  "You 
gave  none." 


46      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Indeed!"    I  said,  and  rubbed  my  mouth. 

"Oh,  don't  hold  that  against  the  Princess,"  he 
chuckled. 

"She  didn't  hit  half  hard  enough,"  I  said.  "  She 
should  have  knocked  me  down." 

He  shook  his  head.  "She  misunderstood  the 
whole  matter.  I  forgot  she,  doubtless,  knows  nothing 
of  the  American  branch  of  the  House;  so,  my  calling 
you  cousin  conveyed  no  meaning,  if  indeed  she  even 
heard  it.  She  simply  thought  you  a  presumptuous 
stranger." 

"And  so  I  am." 

He  waved  the  idea  aside.  "You  are  her  nearest 
male  relative  after  myself." 

"That  may  mitigate  my  presumption — but,  none 
the  less,  I'm  a  stranger." 

"  No  Dalberg  is  stranger  to  a  Dalberg,  and  least 
of  all  in  the  presence  of  the  Dalberg  King,"  he  said. 
Then  the  smile  came  again.  "But,  by  the  Lord, 
sir,  I  admire  your  pluck — to  kiss  the  Princess  Royal 
of  Valeria  before  her  father's  very  face." 

"It  wasn't  pluck,"  I  protested.  "It  was  rank 
ignorance.  I  was  at  a  loss  what  greeting  was  proper;" 
and  I  explained  my  perplexity. 

"Of  course,"  he  said  kindly,  but  with  a  shrewd 
twinkle  in  his  blue  eyes,  "I  understand.  Only, 
I  fancy  it  would  be  wiser  that  I  make  your  excuses 
to  your  cousin.  For,  believe  me,  my  dear  Major. 
for  one  in  such  doubt  you  kissed  her  with  amazing 
promptness." 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  COUSIN  47 

This  time  Courtney  laughed  aloud  and  the 
King  and  I  joined  him. 

"Then  you  think  I  may  venture,  sometime,  to 
speak  to  her  without  renewed  offence?"  I  asked 
presently,  as  we  were  about  to  retire. 

"Assuredly,"  said  the  King.  "When  you  meet 
her  again  to-night  act  as  though  you  had  known  her 
always.  I'll  answer  for  it,  she  will  not  respond 
with  a  blow." 

Just  at  the  door  he  called  to  me. 

"Major,"  he  said,  "which  would  be  your  prefer 
ence  :  to  be  introduced  to-night  as  one  of  the  Blood, 
or  to  hold  off  a  while  and  continue  your  duties  as 
American  Attache?" 

I  had  had  this  very  matter  in  my  mind  a  moment 
before.  "With  Your  Majesty's  permission  I  will 
execute  my  orders — at  least,  for  the  present,"  I  said. 

"I  think  that  were  the  proper  course  under  the 
circumstances.  Meanwhile,  we  will  provide  that 
you  have  the  entree,  and  as  many  prerogatives  of 
your  birth  as  are  properly  consistent  with  con 
ditions." 

Without,  a  chamberlain  awaited  to  conduct  us  to 
the  Hall  of  the  Kings,  where  the  birthday  ball  was 
to  be  held. 


THE  SALUTE  OP  A  FRIEND 

ONE  Court  function  is  pretty  much  like  another, 
Europe  over.  There  is  the  same  sparkle  of  jewels 
and  shimmer  of  silk  on  aristocratic  woman;  the 
same  clank  of  spur  and  rattle  of  sword  and  brilliancy 
of  uniform  on  official  man. 

Courtney  had  long  ago  become  familiar  with  it  all, 
and  I  in  my  details  and  travels  had  seen  enough  to 
make  me  indifferently  easy,  at  least.  We  had  tarried 
overtime  with  the  King,  and,  so,  were  the  last  to 
reach  the  Hall.  At  the  door  Cosgrove  joined  us 
and  under  his  guidance  we  made  our  way  to  the 
diplomatic  line.  Scarcely  were  we  there  when  His 
Majesty  and  the  Princess  Royal  weje  announced 
and  between  the  ranks  of  bowing  guests  they  passed 
to  the  throne.  As  Frederick  stepped  upon  the 
dais  there  arose  spontaneously  the  shout,  thrice 
repeated : 

"Long  live  the  King!" 

And  then  someone  cried : — 

"Long  live  Dalberg!"  And  the  throng  joined  in 
it  twice  again. 

How  the  King  acknowledged  it  I  do  not  know. 
48 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  49 

My  whole  attention  was  given  to  the  Princess. 
It  was  my  first  good  view  of  her  since  the  day  I  had 
acted  as  substitute  groom.  For  the  bad  few  minutes 
lately  passed  had  been  given  over  to  labial  and 
mental  sensations  to  the  exclusion  of  the  ocular. 
Now  I  had  more  leisure  while  those  ranking  and 
senior  to  Courtney  made  their  felicitations  upon  the 
royal  birthday. 

She  was  little  changed  from  my  lady  of  the 
forest;  only  a  bit  more  roundness  to  the  figure  and 
maturity  in  the  face,  particularly  about  the  set  of 
the  mouth  when  in  repose.  Otherwise,  she  was  the 
same  charming  woman  who  had  smiled  me  into 
subjection  six  years  before.  Beautiful  ?  Of  course ; 
but  do  not  ask  me  for  description,  other  than  that 
she  was  medium  in  height,  willowy  in  figure  and 
dark  blonde  in  type.  With  that  outline  your  im 
agination  must  fill  in  the  rest.  Words  only  caricature 
a  glorious  woman. 

When  it  came  our  turn,  the  King  seemed  to 
make  it  a  point  to  greet  me  with  marked  cordi 
ality;  not  waiting  for  my  name  to  be  announced, 
but  stepping  over  to  the  edge  of  the  dais  to  meet 
me  and  holding  me  in  conversation  an  unusual 
time.  It  was  noticed  to  the  Court  that  I  had  the 
royal  favor. 

Then,  with  the  quiet  aside:  "It's  all  explained," 
he  passed  me  over  to  the  Princess. 

She  was  talking  with  Courtney,  and  turned  and 
met  me  with  a  smile. 
4 


50      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Let  us  shake  hands  and  be  friends,  cousin," 
she  said. 

The  graciousness  of  the  gesture  was  plain  enough 
to  the  whole  room,  but  the  words  reached  only 
Courtney  and  me. 

"I  don't  deserve  it — cousin,"  I  said;  but  I 
took  her  hand,  none  the  less. 

Then,  after  a  word  more,  we  gave  place  to  those 
that  followed  us.  But,  as  I  bowed  away,  she  said 
low  :  "The  sixth  dance,  cousin." 

And  so  I  knew  my  peace  was  made. 

I  looked  for  some  banter  from  Courtney,  but 
there  was  none;  only  a  bit  of  a  smile  under  the  grey 
moustache.  What  he  said  was : 

"  Come,  let  us  circle  the  room  and  see  whom  we 
know." 

"We  know  none,  if  I'm  to  do  the  knowing,"  I 
said. 

"Queer  state  of  affairs,"  he  reflected;  "the  true 
Heir  Presumptive,  yet  a  stranger  in  the  Court." 

"Oh!  drop  that  nonsense,"  I  said. 

His  hand  went  up  to  his  imperial.  "Nonsense? 
Well,  maybe  so, — and  there's  the  pity  of  it." 

I  laughed.  "My  dear  fellow,"  I  said,  "you  are 
becoming  sentimental,  and  without  even  the  excuse 
of  a  pretty  woman  in  the  case." 

He  faced  toward  the  throne.  "You  don't  act 
like  a  blind  man,"  he  said. 

"I  can  see  the  Princess  very  clearly,  but  only 
with  Major  Dalberg's  eyes,"  I  replied. 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  51 

"But     if    you     were     proclaimed     the " 

I  cut  him  short.  "I  am  too  old  for  rainbow- 
chasing,  and  Spanish  Castles  don't  become  an 
ambassador." 

"There  you  are  wrong,  my  dear  Major;  diplo 
macy  deals  in  chateaux  en  Espagne.  It  has 
builded  many  upon  weaker  foundations  than  this 
one,  that  have,  in  time,  become  substantial  and 
lasting." 

"Then,  it's  a  good  thing  that  we  army  fellows 
are  called  upon,  occasionally,  to  tumble  a  few  of 
them  about  your  diplomatic  ears." 

He  laughed.  "  You  poor  military  men  don't  know 
it's  only  the  phantom  castles  you  tumble.  We  never 
give  you  a  chance  at  any  others." 

"So  I've  been  a  Don  Quixote  all  these  years  and 
didn't  know  it  ?  " 

"About  that!" 

"And  that  warrants  you  in  sending  me  to  tilt 
against  this  foolish  heir-presumptive  windmill." 

"  But  if  it  were  to  prove  no  windmill  ?  " 

"  Surely,"  I  said — "  Surely,  you  are  not  serious  ?  " 

He  gave  me  one  of  his  quick  glances  and  his  hand 
went  back  to  his  chin. 

Quien  sabe  ? '  as  the  Spaniard  would  say,  Major; 
'  Quien  sabe  ? '  "  he  replied. 

"Don't  be  an  ass,  Courtney,"  I  exclaimed.  "  And 
don't  play  me  for  one,  either." 

A  lift  of  the  eyebrows  was  his  answer — but 
Courtney  could  say  much  that  way. 


52       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"It's  not  a  bad  sort  of  occupation — being  a 
King,"  he  reflected. 

I  ignored  him. 

"And  you  could  fill  the  place  quite  as  well  as 
Ferdinand  of  Lotzen,"  he  went  on. 

"You  will  be  offering  presently  to  wager  that 
111  be  the  next  King  of  Valeria,"  I  scoffed. 

"With  the  proper  odds,  I'd  risk  it." 

"Name  them." 

"  No — not  yet,"  he  said;  "  but  I'll  go  you  five  thou 
sand  even,  now,  that  you  marry  the  Princess  Royal." 

"This  court  atmosphere  seems  to  go  to  your 
head." 

"That  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  wager,"  he 
insisted. 

"Ill  not  take  you,"  I  said.  "The  last  fool  bet 
is  enough  for  me." 

"I  thought  I  heard  someone  say:  'The  sixth 
dance,  cousin. '  ' 

"You  did." 

"  And  you  call  that  a  '  fool  bet  *  ?  " 

"I  do, — and  the  more  so  that  we  were  sober 
when  we  made  it" 

"  You're  a  bit  hard  to  please,  lately,"  he  mocked. 

"I'm  a  bit  easily  led  astray,  lately,"  you  mean,  •* 
retorted. 

All  this  talk,  as  we  made  our  way  through  the 
crowd,  was  interrupted  at  intervals  while  Courtney 
greeted  those  he  knew  and  presented  me.  They 
were  mainly  of  the  diplomatic  corps  and,  if  they 


^  THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  53 

noted  the  coincidence  of  my  name  and  Dalberg 
features,  they  were  adepts  enough  not  to  show  it. 
Not  so,  however,  with  some  of  the  elderly  Valerian 
dignitaries  and  army  officers;  they  were  very 
evidently  surprised  and  curious,  — and,  very  shortly, 
it  was  plain  I  was  the  object  of  their  discussion  and 
careful  observation. 

"  How  do  you  enjoy  it  ?  "    Courtney  inquired. 

"You  forget  that  this  is  not  my  first  visit  to 
Dornlitz,"  I  answered. 

"Some  day  I'd  like  to  know  of  those  other  visits." 

"There's  nothing  to  know;  they  were  like  any 
other  tourist's." 

"Really,  Major,  you  throw  your  opportunities 
away,"  he  said,  and  I  saw  he  did  not  believe  me. 

"  What  opportunities  ?  "     I  asked. 

He  smiled.  "Well,  not  those  for  prevarication, 
certainly." 

"Isn't  that  a  necessary  qualification  of  a  dip 
lomatic  attache  ?  "  I  said. 

"Quite  the  most  important, — and  I  don't  doubt 
you  will  find  it  useful  before  you  leave  Valeria." 

Then  the  band  blared  out  into  a  waltz  and  the 
crowd  drew  away  from  the  centre  of  the  floor. 
I  expected  the  real  Heir  Presumptive  to  lead  out  the 
Princess.  I  admit  I  was  curious  to  see  him.  Report 
made  him  a  very  able  young  fellow,  and  his  pictures 
showed  a  goodly  figure.  Instead,  however,  someone 
in  a  Colonel's  uniform  was  her  partner  to  open  the 
dance.  I  turned  to  Courtney  interrogatingly. 


54      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"It  is  Prince  Charles,  Lotzen's  brother,"  he 
explained. 

"And  the  Duke?"    Tasked. 

"Still  with  the  Army,  I  suppose." 

Then  the  Princess  swung  by  and,  catching  my 
eye,  gave  me  a  quick  smile. 

"  Sort  of  a  relief,  isn't  it  ?  "    Courtney  remarked. 

I  nodded  mechanically. 

"  Only  I  wouldn't  tell  her  so,"  he  said. 

"  Wouldn't  tell  her  what  ?  "    I  demanded. 

"  That  you  were  relieved  to  know  she  could  dance." 

"I  never  doubted  it,"  I  said  shortly. 

He  looked  surprised.  "Oh!"  he  remarked; 
"  Oh ! " — and  fell  to  stroking  his  imperial. 

"Courtney,"  said  I,  "you're  a  great  fool — and 
I'm  another." 

"True,  Major,  quite  true;  I  found  that  out  long 
ago." 

My  irritation  went  down  before  his  unfailing  good 
nature.  It  was  always  so. 

"Since  we  are  unanimous  on  that  point,"  I  said, 
"I  have  no  ground  for  quarrel." 

I  danced  the  next  number  with  Lady  Helen,  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Lord  Radnor,  the  British 
Ambassador.  We  were  old  friends,  after  the  modern 
fashion.  I  had  met  her  in  Washington  some  four 
or  five  years  before,  while  on  staff  duty,  and  we  had 
danced  and  dined  ourselves  into  each  other's  regard. 
Then,  Lord  Radnor  was  transferred  to  Dornlitz  and 
I  went  back  into  active  service.  So  I  had  been 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  55 

altogether  well  pleased  to  find  her  with  the  Radnors 
when  we  chanced  upon  them  during  the  stroll 
around  the  room,  and  I  had  engaged  a  pair  of 
dances  to  give  us  a  chance  for  a  quiet  little  chat. 

"Do  you  know,  Major,  for  a  stranger  you  are 
arousing  extraordinary  curiosity?"  she  remarked, 
as  we  sat  on  the  terrace. 

I  smiled.    "  Yes,  I  believe  I  am." 

She  looked  surprised.    "  So  you  have  heard  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  knew  it  years  ago." 

"Oh,  how  stupid!"  she  exclaimed.  "Of  course, 
this  is  not  your  first  visit  to  Dornlitz.  Yet,  it's  a 
queer  coincidence  that  you  should  have  both  the 
family  name  and  the  great  Henry's  features." 

"Oh,  no,"  said  I;  "not  particularly  queer,  since  I 
am  his  great-great-grandson." 

She  closed  her  fan  with  a  snap.  "His  great- 
great-grandson  ! "  she  echoed. 

I  nodded. 

"But  I  thought  yours  an  old  American  family. 
Didn't  you  tell  me,  one  day  at  Mount  Vernon,  that 
a  Dalberg  fought  with  Washington  ?  " 

It  was  my  turn  to  be  surprised.  I  had  long  for 
gotten  both  the  circumstance  and  the  remark. 
"And  I  told  you  truly  enough,"  I  answered. 

She  frowned  a  bit;  then  shook  her  head.  "  I  cannot 
understand,"  she  said. 

Doubtless  I  was  foolish — Courtney  would  have 
called  it  something  stronger — but,  nevertheless,  I 
told  her  the  story  of  Hugo.  For  the  benefit  of  the 


56      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

scoffer  let  me  say  that  the  Lady  Helen  could  be  very 
fetching  when  she  was  so  minded,  and  this  was  our 
first  meeting  in  four  years. 

"How  romantic!"  she  exclaimed,  when  I  had 
finished  my  tale.  "  Father  will  be  so  interested." 

I  almost  tumbled  out  of  the  chair.  "  Lord  Radnor 
will  not  have  the  opportunity  to  be  interested,"  I 
said  sharply.  "You  may  not  tell  him,  nor  anyone." 

"Certainly  not,  if  you  wish  it,"  she  said  instantly. 

I  thought  she  could  be  trusted;  but  it  would  do  no 
harm  to  give  her  a  bit  of  warning  as  to  the  situation. 

"None  but  the  King,  the  Princess  and  Courtney 
knows  of  this  relationship,"  I  said. 

She  regarded  me  with  an  amused  smile.  "Which 
means,  if  it  become  known,  I  alone  could  be  the 
tattler." 

There  was  no  need  to  press  the  point  further. 

"  It  is  His  Majesty's  secret  as  well  as  mine,"  I  said, 
as  if  in  explanation. 

She  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulders.  "  I  shall  keep 
it  because  it's — yours,"  she  answered. 

There  was  no  doubt  Lady  Helen  could  be  fetching 
when  she  was  so  minded. 

I  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it.  Then  I  glanced 
aroiuid  for  onlookers. 

L'dy  Helen  laughed  softly.  "You  men  always 
d  h  t,'  she  said. 

"Oh!  "said  I. 

"Y>:  look  only  after  it's  all  over." 

"Oh! "said  I,  again. 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  57 

"At  least,  so  I  have  observed,"  she  admitted, 
frankly. 

"  You  mean  such  has  been  your  experience  ?  " 

"Well,"  said  she,  with  a  mischievous  gleam  in 
her  grey  eyes,  "  wasn't  it  so  just  now  ?  " 

I  got  up  and  looked  carefully  around.  No  one 
was  very  near  and  we  were  in  the  shadow.  I  leaned 
over  and  quickly  kissed  her  on  the  cheek. 

"  It  wasn't  so  that  time,"  I  said. 

She  sat  perfectly  quiet  for  a  bit. 

"Let  us  hope,"  she  said,  at  length;  "let  us  hope 
that  your  eyes  were  trustworthy.  Otherwise " 

"  Yes  ?  "    I  questioned. 

"Otherwise  our  engagement  must  be  announced 
or " 

"Yes?" 

"  You  must  give  me  the  chance  to  cut  you  publicly, 
after  which  you  must  leave  Dornlitz." 

Here  was  a  mess,  sure  enough.  Yet,  I  was  in  for 
it — as  most  fools  usually  are. 

"  Which  shall  it  be  ?  "  I  said  gayly. 

She  leaned  close  and  looked  me  in  the  eyes.  And 
beside  her  winsome  face  I  saw,  in  my  mind's  eye,  the 
Princess's,  too — but  only  for  an  instant.  Then  I 
took  her  hand  again.  She  smiled  sweetly,  almost 
as  sweetly  as  Dehra  herself  could  do. 

"Let  us  wait  until  we  know  if  we  were  seen,"  she 
said. 

I  made  a  move  to  kiss  her  again,  but  she  drew 
away 


58      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Not  so,  sir;  that  time  you  did  not  look,"  she  said, 
and  stepped  out  into  the  light.  Then  I  took  her  back 
to  Lady  Radnor. 

"Don't  be  disconsolate,  Major,"  she  said,  as  we 
parted.  "  No  one  saw  you — on  the  terrace." 

I  looked  down  at  her  gravely.  "  I  am  beginning  to 
hope  someone  did,"  I  said. 

She  shot  a  quick  glance  at  me  over  her  fan.  "  Are 
you  tired  of  Dornlitz  so  soon  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  think  I  want  to  stay  in  Dornlitz,"  I  answered. 

"But  the  alternative,  Major,  the  alternative." 

"That  is  why  I  want  to  stay." 

She  smiled.  "You  did  that  very  prettily,"  she 
aaid.  "I  shall  forgive  you  the — the  kiss." 

"  But  if  someone  saw  it  ?  "    I  protested. 

"You  great  stupid,"  she  exclaimed,  "no  one  did. 
Do  you  think  I  didn't  look  ?  " 

"Oh!  "said  I.    "Oh!" 

"Sometimes  you  men  are  very  foolish,"  she 
sympathized. 

I  looked  at  her  a  bit  in  silence.  **You  have 
changed  since  America,"  I  remarked. 

"For  the  better?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"  That's  not  nice  of  you,"  she  said. 

Then  Courtney  came  up. 

"Run  along,  Major,"  he  ordered;  "you've  kept 
the  Lady  Helen  over  time." 

She  took  his  arm.  "  Please  take  me  out  on  the  ter 
race,"  she  said.  Then  she  smiled  at  me  aggravatingly. 


THE  SALUTE  OF  A  FRIEND  59 

"Maybe  our  chairs  are  still  vacant;  better  take 
Courtney  to  them,"  I  said  maliciously. 

It  was  not  quite  fair,  possibly;  and  she  told  me  so 
with  her  eyes,  though  her  lips  smiled.  I  knew  I  had 
given  her  another  score  to  settle. 


VI 
THE  SIXTH  DANCE 

IT  was  Colonel  Bernheim  who  brought  me  the 
Princess's  commands  for  the  dance ;  and  the  courteous 
way  he  did  his  office  made  me  like  him  on  the  instant. 
And  this,  though  there  was  a  certain  deference  of 
manner  that  was  rather  suggestive. 

The  Princess  was  in  the  small  room  behind  the 
throne  and,  when  I  was  announced,  beckoned  me  to 
her. 

"Major  Dalberg,"  said  she,  when  I  had  made 
my  bow,  "I  have  ordered  the  band  to  play  an 
American  quickstep;  will  you  dance  it  with  me  as 
it  is  done  at  your  great  school — West  Point,  is  it 
not?" 

It  was  done  very  neatly,  indeed.  No  one  of  those 
present  could  have  imagined  there  was  any  prior 
arrangement  as  to  that  particular  dance.  I  saw  the 
King  smile  approvingly. 

"Your  Royal  Highness  honors  my  country  and 
its  army,  but  through  a  very  unworthy  repre 
sentative,  I  fear,"  I  said,  as  I  gave  her  my  arm. 
Then  the  music  began. 

I  have  very  little  recollection  of  that  dance;  but  I 
60 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  61 

do  know  that  Dehra  needed  no  instruction  in  our 
way  of  doing  the  two-step;  she  glided  through  it  as 
naturally  as  a  Point-girl  herself.  And,  when  I  told 
her  so,  she  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulders  and 
answered: 

"You  are  not  the  first  American  attache,  you 
know." 

"Nor  the  last,  either,"  I  replied,  and  then  held 
my  peace,  though  I  saw  her  hide  a  smile  behind  her 
roses. 

"But  you  are  the  first  that  has  been  my  cousin," 
she  said  sweetly, — and  I  succumbed,  of  course. 
Yet  I  was  punished  promptly,  nevertheless,  for  at 
the  throne  she  stopped  and  I  led  her  back  to  the 
King. 

"  May  I  not  have  another  dance  later  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  shook  her  head.  "Don't  you  think  you 
have  been  already  favored  more  than  you  deserve, 
cousin  ?" 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "I  do;  that's  why  I  am  encouraged 
to  ask  for  more." 

"What  a  paragon  of  modesty!"  she  mocked. 

I  passed  it  by.    "  And  the  dance  ?  "  I  asked. 

"I  shall  dance  no  more  to-night,"  she  said.  Then 
we  reached  the  door  and  found  the  small  room 
crowded  with  officials  and  dignitaries.  The  Princess 
halted  sharply.  "  But  you  may  take  me  for  a  turn  on 
the  terrace,"  she  concluded. 

As  we  crossed  the  wide  floor  the  crowd  fell  back,—" 
but  Dehra  gave  no  greeting  to  anyone,  though  she 


62      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

must  have  known  all  eyes  were  upon  us.  Yet,  to 
give  her  due  credit,  she  seemed  as  unconscious  of  it 
as  if  we  were  alone  in  the  room.  As  for  me,  I  admit 
I  was  acutely  conscious  of  it,  and  the  walk  to  the 
door  seemed  endless.  I  must  have  shown  my 
relief  when  it  was  over,  for  the  Princess  looked  up 
with  a  smile. 

"That's  your  first  trial  as  one  of  the  Blood," 
she  said. 

"There  are  compensations,"  I  answered. 

She  ignored  the  point.    "  They  are  very  few." 

"Sometimes,  one  would  be  ample." 

Again  she  evaded.  "Yes,  the  privilege  to  be  as 
free  as  the  lowest  subject,"  she  answered,  instantly. 

"Pure  theory,"  I  said.  "The  lowest  subject 
would  think  you  mad." 

"I  would  gladly  exchange  places,"  she  said. 

"  Don't  make  any  of  them  the  offer." 

"No — out  of  regard  for  my  Father  I  won't." 

"It's  a  great  thing  to  be  a  Princess  Royal,"  I 
ventured. 

"Oh,  I  dare  say — to  those  who  care  for  great 
things." 

"Who  do  not?" 

"I  don't.    At  least  I  think  I  don't." 

"  You  would  think  so  only  until  you  were  not  the 
Princess  Royal." 

"That  may  be;  but,  as  I  am  the  Princess  Royal 
and  cannot  well  change  my  birthright,  I  don't  see 
how  I  am  to  get  the  chance  to  think  otherwise." 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  63 

"It's  better  to  think  you  do  not  like  great  things 
when  you  have  them,  than  to  like  them  and  not 
have  them." 

"You  make  it  only  a  choice  of  unhappinesses," 
she  said. 

"  I  make  it  only  life." 

"You  are  too  young  to  be  pessimistic,"  she  said. 

"  And  you  are  too  fortunate  in  life  to  be  unhappy," 
I  answered. 

"But  you  said  life  was  but  a  choice  of  unhappi 
nesses." 

"Only  to  the  discontented." 

"Oh!"  said  she.  "Instead  of  a  pessimist  you  are 
a  philosopher." 

"  I  sincerely  trust  I'm  neither." 

"So  do  I,  cousin,"  she  laughed,  "if  we  are  to 
be  friends.  I  don't  like  philosophers  ;  which  is 
natural,  doubtless  ;  and  as  a  pessimist  I  prefer  no 
rival." 

"Which  is  also  natural,"  I  added.  "And  I 
promise  not  to  interfere  with  your  prerogative  nor 
do  the  Socrates  act  again." 

" Entre  nous,  I  think  you're  wise;  neither  becomes 
you  particularly." 

I  laughed.    "You're  frank." 

"It's  the  privilege  of  cousins,"  she  replied. 

"  Oh ! "  said  I.    "  I'm  glad  you  think  so." 

"That  is — in  matters  strictly  cousinly,"  she 
added  quickly. 

"I  shall  remember,"  I  said. 


64      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

She  gave  me  a  quick  glance.  "  Can  you  remember 
several  years  back  ?  "  she  said. 

(So,  she  had  recognized  me.) 

"That  depends,"  said  I.  "1  have  a  bad  memory 
except  for  pleasant  things." 

"Then  I  am  quite  sure  you  will  remember,"  she 
laughed,  and  fell  to  picking  a  rose  apart,  petal  by 
petal. 

"I  am  ready  to  remember  anything,"  I  said, 
catching  one  of  the  petals. 

"  Oh !    But  maybe  I  don't  want  you  to  remember. " 

"Then  I'm  ready " 

She  looked  at  me  quickly.  "To  forget?"  she 
interrupted. 

"To  remember  only  what  you  wish."    I  ended. 

"That  means  you  will  remember  nothing  until  I 
wish  it?" 

I  caught  the  half-plucked  rose  as  she  let  it   fall. 

"It  means  my  memory  is  at  your  command,"  I 
said. 

She  drew  out  another  rose  and  dropped  it  de 
liberately. 

"  I  am  very  awkward,"  she  said,  as  I  bent  for  it. 

"On  the  contrary,  I  thought  you  did  it  very 
prettily,"  I  answered. 

She  laughed.  "  Then  you  may  keep  it  instead  of 
the  torn  one." 

"I  shall  keep  both." 

"  Always  ?  "  she  mocked. 

"At  least  until  I  leave  you." 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  65 

"Thank  Heaven,  cousin,  for  once  in  my  life  I 
have  had  an  honest  answer ! "  she  exclaimed,  holding 
out  her  hand. 

I  took  it.  I  did  not  kiss  it,  though  that  may  seem 
strange.  Sometimes,  I  do  have  the  proper  sense  of 
the  fitness  of  things. 

"It's  the  privilege  of  cousins  to  be  frank,"  I 
quoted. 

"Have  you  always  been  frank  with  me?"  She 
asked. 

"Rather  too  much  so,  I  fear." 

She  gave  me  a  sharp  look.  "Do  you  know  a 
Captain  Smith  of  your  Army  ?  " 

"Smith  is  a  very  common  name  in  America.  I 
know  at  least  a  dozen  who  are  officers." 

"  John  Smith  is  his  name.  He  was  a  Captain,  six 
years  ago." 

I  appeared  to  think  a  moment.  "  I  know  two  such — 
one  in  the  Cavalry,  the  other  in  the  Engineers." 

"  Describe  them,  please." 

I  showed  surprise.  "Does  Your  Royal  High 
ness ?" 

She  cut  in.  "That  is  just  what  she  is  trying  to 
find  out." 

"Yes?" 

"Whether  either  of  them  is  the  Captain  Smith  I 
have  in  mind." 

"Both  would  be  much  honored." 

"I  am  not  so  sure  as  to  the  one  I  mean.    He  was  a 
very  conceited  fellow." 
5 


66      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

I  gritted  back  a  smile.  "It  must  have  been  the 
Engineer,"  I  said.  "He's  a  good  deal  of  a  prig." 

She  bent  over  the  roses.  "  Oh,  I  wouldn't  call  him 
just  that." 

"It's  no  more  than  I've  heard  him  call  himself," 
I  said. 

"You  must  know  him  rather  intimately." 

"On  the  contrary,  I  know  him  very  slightly, 
though  I've  been  thrown  with  him  considerably." 

"  Are  you  not  friendly  ?  "  she  asked. 

"We  have  had  differences." 

Again  the  roses  did  duty.  "I  fear  you  are  preju 
diced,"  she  said,  and  I  thought  I  caught  a  smothered 
laugh. 

"Not  at  all,"  I  insisted.  "I  am  disposed  in  his 
favor." 

"So  I  should  judge." 

I  could  not  decide  which  way  she  meant  it.  "  Oh, 
he  is  not  all  bad,"  I  condescended.  "In  many 
ways  he  is  a  good  sort  of  chap." 

"Now,  that's  better."  she  rejoined;  "to  say  for 
him  what  he  could  not,  of  course,  say  for  himself." 

I  forced  back  another  laugh.  "  Oh,  I  don't 
know  why  he  should  not  have  said  that  to  a  friend," 
said  I. 

"It  would  depend  much  on  the  friend." 

I  did  not  know  if  she  had  given  the  opening, 
deliberately,  but  I  took  it. 

"  Of  course,  he  would  say  that  only  to  one  he  felt 
could  understand  him." 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  67 

"  You  are  painting  him  rather  better  than  you  did 
at  first,"  she  observed. 

"I'm  warming  up  to  the  subject." 

"  Then  suppose  you  tell  me  what  he  looks  like." 

"That,"  said  I,  "is  to  tell  his  greatest  fault." 

"I  do  not  understand." 

"  He  looks  like  me,"  I  explained. 

"  How  horrible,"  she  laughed. 

"He  has  never  ceased  to  deplore  it,"  I  said 
humbly. 

"  Surely,  he  never  told  you." 

"  To  my  face,  many  times." 

"You  had  good  cause  for  differences,  then." 

"  Thank  you,  cousin,"  I  said. 

"And,  may  I  ask,"  she  went  on,  "what  you  did  to 
him  at  such  times  ?  " 

I  shook  my  head.    "  It  would  not  tell  well." 

"No,  possibly  not;  but  tell  me,  anyway,"  she  said. 

"Sometimes,  I  put  him  to  bed — and,  sometimes, 
I  bought  him  a  superabundance  of  red  liquor." 

"  Don't  tell  me  the  other  times,"  she  interposed. 

"No,"  said  I,  "I  won't." 

She  fell  to  plucking  the  roses  again. 

"This  Captain  Smith,"  she  said  presently;  "was 
he  in  Valeria  six  years  ago  ?  " 

"  That  would  be  in  189 —  ?  "  I  reflected  a  moment. 
"  Yes  he  was  here  that  year." 

She  thought  a  bit.    "  Was  he  given  to  reminiscing  ?" 

"  No  one  in  America  but  myself  knew  he  had  been 
to  Valeria." 


68      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

She  smiled. 

I  saw  the  blunder.  "It  happened  he  knew  of 
my  Dalberg  descent,"  I  hastened  to  add. 

"Has  he  ever  mentioned  an  adventure  in  the 
forest  near  the  Summer  Palace  ?  " 

"I  am  quite  sure  he  has  not,"  I  said,  but  without 
looking  at  her. 

Then  I  felt  a  touch  on  my  arm — and  I  took  her 
gloved  fingers  in  my  own  and  held  them. 

"You  are  very  good,  cousin,"  she  said,  then 
loosed  her  hand. 

"  When  did  you  recognize  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

"When  you  kissed  me.  That  was  why  I  was  so 
angry." 

"  I  noticed  you  were  annoyed." 

"Yet,  I  was  more  disappointed." 

"Yes?"    I  inflected. 

"To  have  my  ideal  Captain  Smith  shattered  so 
completely." 

"  But  when  you  learned  it  was  your  cousin  ?  " 

"  That  saved  the  ideal." 

"  But  I  cannot  live  up  to  the  Captain." 

She  shook  her  head.  "There  is  no  need. 
The  Captain  is  dead.  It  is  my  cousin  Armand 
now." 

"  But  every  woman  has  her  ideal,"  I  ventured. 

"Yes,  I  shall  have  to  find  a   new  one." 

"Then  it's  only  exit  the  Captain  to  enter  a 
stranger,"  I  said. 

"  Not  necessarily  a  stranger,"  she  returned 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  69 

"To  be  sure,"  I  agreed;  "there  is  His  Royal 
Highness,  the  Duke  of  Lotzen." 

"  Or  Casimir  of  Titia,"  she  added,  drawing  down 
her  mouth.  "Or  even  my  new-found  cousin  Ar- 
mand." 

"  He  died  with  the  Captain,"  I  laughed. 

"No,  the  Captain  died  with  him." 

"I  think,  as  a  matter  of  proper  precaution,  it 
would  be  well  to  go  in,"  I  said. 

"  Are  you  tired  of  me,  so  soon  ?  " 

"You  know  very  well  it's  because  I'm  fearful  of 
disgracing  the  Captain  again." 

"Please  don't,"  she  said  smilingly,  "here  comes  a 
friend  of  yours." 

It  was  Courtney  with  Lady  Helen  on  his  arm. 

"  Two  friends  of  mine,"  I  said,  as  they  passed. 

"  You  know  Lady  Helen  Radnor  ?  " 

"  After  a  fashion.  I  was  stationed  in  Washington 
while  Lord  Radnor  was  Ambassador  there." 

"You  two  would  suit  each  other." 

"Yes?" 

"You  both  are — shall  I  say  it — flirts." 

I  began  to  disclaim. 

"Nonsense!"  she  cut  in.  "Don't  you  think  a 
woman  knows  another  woman — and  also  a  man  ?  " 

"By  your  leave,  cousin,  I'll  not  think,"  I  said. 

"  It's  a  bit  unnecessary  sometimes,"  she  laughed. 

I  made  no  reply.  In  truth,  I  knew  none.  But  the 
Princess  did  not  seem  to  notice  it.  She  was  plucking 
at  the  roses  again. 


70      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  I  wish  I  might  flirt,"  she  broke  out  suddenly. 

I  grasped  the  marble  rail  for  support. 

"Don't  look  so  surprised,"  she  laughed,  "I'll  not 
try  it — I  know  what  is  permitted  me." 

"  Then  you  never  flirted  ?  "  I  asked  with  assumed 
seriousness. 

"No;  that's  another  penalty  of  birth.  With  whom 
may  the  Princess  Royal  flirt  ?  " 

I  waved  my  hand  toward  the  ball  room. 

"I  hope  I  am  neither  cruel  nor  indiscreet,"  she 
said,  rather  curtly. 

"  But  there  are  many  royal  guests  come  to  Dorn- 
litz,"  I  ventured. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "They  all  bore 
me." 

"Which  only  makes  them  the  better  material 
to  practice  on." 

"Surely,  I  am  very  innocent,"  she  said.  "I 
thought  at  least  a  bit  of  sentiment  was  required." 

"  Sentiment  only  endangers  the  game,"  I  explained. 

"But  suppose  the  sentiment  were  to  come  sud 
denly — in  the  midst  of  the  '  game, '  as  you  call  it  ?  " 

"Then,"  said  I,  "there  is  rare  trouble  ahead  for 
the  other  party." 

"But  if  that  one  also  were  to  become — you 
know,"  she  went  on. 

"There's  an  end  to  the  flirtation;  it's  a  different 
kind  of  game  then." 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  there  can  be  flirtation  without 
sentiment  ?  "  she  persisted. 


THE  SIXTH  DANCE  71 

"It's  the  only  artistic  sort;  and  the  only  safe  sort, 
too,"  I  answered  sagely. 

"  And  is  it  a  pleasant  game  to  play  for  a  while  in 
that  fashion  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Doubtless,"  I  answered  evasively;  "only  it  is 
rarely  done." 

She  went  back  to  the  roses  again.  "I  think, 
cousin,  I  shall  flirt  with  you,"  she  said  suddenly. 

I  took  a  fresh  hold  on  the  railing.  I  was  sur 
prised. 

But  I  was  more  troubled;  for  I  was  quite  sure  she 
meant  it. 

"Don't  you  think,  Princess,  you  are  putting  me 
to  a  heavy  test?"  I  objected.  "I  may  cease  to  be 
artistic." 

"You  said  it  could  be  done." 

"Yes,  as  a  general " 

"Then  your  test  is  no  heavier  than  mine,"  she 
interrupted. 

I  bowed.  So,  this  was  her  punishment  for  the  kiss 
of  salutation. 

"But  if  I  were  to  fail  to  carry  the  game  through 
properly  ?  "  I  said. 

She  hesitated.    "  I  may  fail,  too,"  she  said. 

"And  then?"    I  asked. 

She  looked  away.  "It  would  make  no  difference 
in  the  ending.  You  would  go  away;  and  I — would 
make  some  crazy  marriage  of  political  expediency." 

I  straightened  up.  Maybe  she  had  not  been 
maliciously  leading  me  out.  Maybe  she  was  simply 


72      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

unhappy  and  wanting  a  new  sensation.  Then, 
suddenly,  she  put  her  hand  on  my  arm. 

"Come,  Armand,"  she  said;  "take  me  back  to  the 
King.  We  have  flirted  enough  for  one  evening." 

"  We  ?  "    I  said  wonderingly. 

She  took  a  rose  from  her  gown — and  drew  it 
through  my  sword  belt. 

"Yes,"  she  said;  and  gave  me  one  of  those  be 
wildering  smiles.  "Wouldn't  you  call  it  that?  At 
least,  you  have  taught  me  to-night  all  I  know  of  the 
game." 

"  And  how  about  six  years  ago,  cousin  ?  "  I  said, 
securing  her  hand. 

She  looked  down  demurely.  "  Well,  maybe  I  did 
learn  a  little  that  day,"  she  admitted. 


VII 

AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE 

THE  second  morning  after  the  ball  I  arose  early — 
in  fact,  just  as  the  bugles  of  the  garrison  were  sound 
ing  reveille — and  went  for  a  horseback  ride  into  the 
country.  Though  I  knew  about  all  the  roads  in  the 
vicinity,  I  confess  it  never  occurred  to  me  to  take 
any  but  that  which  led  toward  the  Summer  Palace 
and  the  place  where  I  had  first  met  the  Princess. 

It  may  be  some  will  scoff  at  this,  but  I  venture 
that  by  far  the  majority  will  deem  it  only  natural. 
For  myself  I  may  further  admit  that  I  ordered  my 
horse  the  night  before  for  no  other  purpose;  and  I 
have  no  excuse  to  offer.  From  all  of  which  it  may 
be  inferred  that  I,  at  least,  was  scarcely  likely  to  be 
artistic  long  in  a  certain  flirtation. 

I  had  thought  it  all  over  during  the  last  thirty-six 
hours,  and,  as  I  jogged  through  the  streets,  I  went 
over  with  it  again — and  always  with  the  same  result: 
I  would  enjoy  it  while  it  lasted.  Afterward — well, 
afterward  would  be  time  enough  when  it  came.  So 
I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  returned  the  salute  of 
the  officer  at  the  gate  and  rode  out  into  the  open 

country. 
73 


74      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

I  had  gone,  possibly,  a  mile  when  there  came  the 
beat  of  running  hoofs  behind  me  and  rapidly  nearing. 
Thinking  it  might  be  a  messenger  from  the  Em 
bassy  I  swung  around  in  saddle — only  to  find  the 
front  horse  was  ridden  by  a  woman  and  the  other 
by  a  groom. 

My  first  thought  was:  "The  Princess!*'  my 
next:  "By  Jove,  she  rides  well!"  Then  something 
familiar  in  seat  and  figure  struck  me  and  I  recognized 
Lady  Helen  Radnor.  Evidently  she  had  already 
made  me  out,  for  she  waved  her  crop  and  pulled 
down  to  a  canter.  Here  was  an  end  to  my  solitary 
ride ;  I  turned  back  to  meet  her. 

"Why,  Major  Dalberg,  what  luck!"  she  cried. 
"One  might  imagine  we  were  in  Washington  again." 

"What  need  for  Washington,"  said  I,  "since  we 
are  here  ?  " 

"True!  It's  always  the  people  that  make  the 
place,"  she  laughed. 

"  Then  you  like  Dornlitz  as  well  as  Washington  ?  " 

"Yes,  lately." 

"If  I  were  at  all  conceited  I  would  guess  that 
'lately 'meant " 

"Yes? "she  asked. 

"But  as  I'm  not  conceited  I  won't  guess." 

"I'm  afraid  it's  not  quite  the  same,  then,  as  in 
Washington!" 

I  made  no  reply. 

"There,  you  would  have  been  ready  to  believe  I 
followed  you  intentionally." 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  75 

• 
*'  Did  you  ever  do  that  ? "    I  asked. 

She  laughed.    "We  are  quits  now." 

"  Then  I  may  ride  with  you  ?  " 

"  Surely — why  do  you  think  I  overtook  you  ?  " 

I  bowed  to  my  horse 's  neck.  "  I  am  flattered, "  I  said. 

"You  ought  to  be,  sir." 

I  looked  at  her  quickly.  It  was  said,  it  seemed  to 
me,  a  bit  sharply;  but  she  gave  me  only  the  usual 
mocking  smile. 

"  Where  shall  we  go  ?  "    I  asked. 

"  You  have  no  choice  ?  " 

"None — all  roads  are  alike  delightful  now.  Be 
sides,  you  forget  I  came  here  only  two  days  ago; 
this  is  my  first  ride  since  then." 

"Then,  suppose  we  go  out  by  the  Forge  and 
around  by  the  hill  road  above  the  Palace  ?  " 

"You  must  be  the  guide,"  I  replied. 

"  Come  along,  then;  we  turn  to  the  right  here." 

"Only" 1  began. 

"Oh!  I'll  have  you  back  in  time  for  breakfast," 
she  cut  in.  "  That  was  what  you  meant  ?  " 

"  Your  Ladyship  is  a  mind  reader." 

"Nonsense!  I'm  human  enough  to  have  an 
appetite,  too." 

"Perhaps  there  is  an  inn  on  the  way."  I  sug 
gested.  (There  was  none  six  years  ago.) 

She  shook  her  head.  "There's  nothing  to  eat 
before  Dornlitz,  if  we  go  that  route." 

"Some  day  we  must  find  one  that  has  a  break 
fast  on  it,"  said  I. 


76       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

" There  are  several;  I  know  them  well,"  she  said. 

"  Good ;  and  you  will  take  me  to  them  ?  " 

"It  will  be  jolly." 

"I  am  very  lucky  to  have  you  in  Dornlitz,"  I  said 
gratefully. 

She  smiled  sweetly.  "Maybe  I'm  lucky,  too," 
she  said. 

It  brought  me  up  with  a  jerk.  It  was  folly  to  be 
serious  with  her — she  was  only  bantering  as  usual. 

"It's  none  of  my  affair,  of  course,"  I  said  with 
assumed  sadness,  "  but  I  would  like  to  know  how 
many  poor  devils  have  gone  down  before  that  smile 
in  the  last  six  years." 

"You  mean?" 

"That  you're  the  most  consummate  coquette  I 
know." 

"  Is  that  a  compliment  ?"  she  asked. 

"That  depends." 

"Upon  what?" 

"  Upon  the  way  you  use  your  power." 

She  hesitated  a  moment.  "Have  I  ever  used  it 
improperly  to  your  knowledge  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  dodged  the  question.  "You  admit  the  power, 
then?" 

"I  admit  nothing,  except  that  I  do  not  like  to  be 
called  a  coquette." 

I  saw  she  was  in  earnest  here;  there  was  almost  a 
choke  in  her  voice. 

"  But  I  would  not  have  you  otherwise,"  I  objected. 

She  shook  her  head.  "  You  say  that  only  because 
you  think  you  hurt  me." 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  77 

"Don't  you  know  your  bright  and  happy  dis 
position  is  a  thing  beyond  price  ?  "  I  argued. 

"I  know  its  price  is  heavy — I  have  paid  it  to  you 
just  now — I  am  paying  it  every  day  of  my  life." 
There  were  tears  in  the  voice. 

I  was  at  a  loss  what  to  say.  A  man  is  an  awkward 
comforter  at  best,  and  when  he  is  guilty  of  bringing 
on  the  trouble,  he  is  sure  only  to  make  a  worse  mess 
of  it.  So  I  held  my  tongue  and  we  rode  a  while  in 
silence. 

She  spoke  first.  "I  know  you  are  quite  justified 
in  your  notion  of  me,"  she  said.  "I  have  given  you 
every  reason  to  call  me  coquette,  flirt,  or  anything 
of  that  sort." 

I  raised  my  hand  in  protest. 

"No,  let  me  finish,"  she  went  on.  "I  have  only 
myself  to  blame  for  it.  I  was  warned  against  you 
before  I  ever  saw  you;  and,  so,  I  tried  to  play  your 
own  game  from  the  start."  (I  hope  I  had  the  grace 
to  blush;  I  think  I  had.)  "But  the  other  night,  some 
how,  the  game  got  too  fast  for  me — and  I — well, 
I  bungled.  But  whether  you  believe  me  or  not, 
Major  Dalberg,  I  want  to  say,  as  a  solace  to  myself, 
at  least,  that  you  are  the  only  man  who  ever  kissed 
my  face." 

I  have  smelled  considerable  powder  in  active 
service,  and  I  think  I  may  say  I  have  a  fair  amount 
of  courage,  but  it  had  all  oozed  away  before  the 
grieving  tones  and  melting  eyes  of  beauty  in  distress; 
.and  in  another  moment  I  should  have  cut  and  run 


like  the  rankest  coward.  For,  what  would  you  ?  A 
handsome  woman  (none  I  had  ever  seen,  not  even 
the  Princess,  surpassed  her)  almost  in  tears  beside 
you — and  all  because  of  your  own  clumsy  tongue 
and  heavy  sense. 

I  opened  my  mouth  to  speak;  but  the  words  did 
not  come.  In  truth,  my  brain  would  not  act.  I  was 
vacant  of  ideas.  And  so  she  waited ;  while  our  horses 
walked  with  heads  together,  friendly  as  old  stable 
chums.  Then  I  found  my  tongue. 

"My  dear  Lady  Helen,"  I  said,  "I  owe  you  an 
apology  for  what  I  did  that  night." 

"You  owe  me  nothing,"  she  broke  in.  "You 
know  perfectly  well  that  when  a  woman  is  kissed  in 
that  way  she  has  only  herself  to  blame." 

"But  it  takes  two  to  make  a  bargain,"  I  in 
sisted;  "  and  it  was  I  who  did  it." 

"Tell  me,"  she  demanded,  "tell  me  honestly; 
you  didn't  imagine  I  would  be  angry? — you  felt 
perfectly  easy  about  it  at  the  time?" 

I  bungled  again,  of  course :  I  hesitated. 

She  laughed  scornfully.  "You  have  answered 
me,  Major  Dalberg." 

"  No,"  said  I,  "  I  have  not.  You  were  angry  at  the 
instant,  though  you  chose  to  act  otherwise.  I  thought 
so,  then;  I  am  sure  of  it  now." 

A  feeble  smile  touched  her  lips.  "Confess,  that 
you  then  thought  the  anger  only  assumed." 

"Didn't  you  act  deliberately  to  make  me  think 
so?" 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  79 

"After  you  had  kissed  me,"  she  said,  half  de 
fiantly,  "what  mattered  it  if  I  played  it  on  to  the 
end?" 

"And  you  did  it  beautifully,"  I  agreed. 

"So  beautifully  that  you  intimated  I  proposed 
playing  it  all  over  again  with  your  friend  Courtney." 

"You  wrong  me  there,"  I  objected. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  was  annoyed  at  your  going  off  with  him." 

She  turned  and  looked  me  in  the  eyes.  "You 
might,  at  least,  spare  me  the  discourtesy  of  flip 
pancy,"  she  said. 

"But  I  am  serious,  I  assure  you,"    I  insisted. 

She  smiled  incredulously.  "  I  am  so  sorry  to  have 
bored  you,  Major  Dalberg " 

"  But  you  don't  understand "  I  protested. 

"Please  let  us  drop  the  subject,"  she  interrupted. 
"Don't  you  think  that  a  pretty  view?"  and  she 
pointed  with  her  crop  to  a  mite  of  a  lake  below  us, 
flashing  through  the  trees. 

I  hope  I  did  not  show  in  my  face  how  willing  I  was 
to  change  the  subject;  and  I  know  I  tried  to  keep  it 
out  of  my  voice.  But  I  fear  I  grew  altogether  too 
enthusiastic  over  the  bit  of  scenery  for,  presently, 
Lady  Helen  remarked  dryly : 

"One  would  never  imagine  you  a  lover  of — 
nature." 

I  pulled  myself  up  sharply.  "Are  my  looks 
so  much  against  me  ?  " 

"I  don't  see  that  looks  have  anything  to  do  with 


80       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

it.  I  mean  one  does  not  associate  such  tastes  with 
professional  soldiers.  Nature,  to  them,  would  nor 
mally  represent  only  obstacles  to  overcome  or 
advantages  to  be  utilized." 

"  But  men  do  not  look  at  everything  through  their 
professional  eyes,"  I  laughed.  "If  they  did,  every 
lawyer  when  he  saw  you  would  have  but  the  one 
thought:  'What  a  glorious  plaintiff  for  a  breach 
of  promise  case.'  ' 

"I  suppose  you  think  that  complimentary,"  she 
said. 

"It  was  not  so  intended." 

"I  trust  not." 

"I  used  it  only  to  illustrate  the  proposition." 

"  Are  you  trying  to  make  me  quarrel  with  you  ?  " 
she  demanded. 

"Surely  not." 

"  Then  let  us  avoid  the  personal." 

"I  will  do  anything  to  preserve  the  peace,"  I 
said — "and  be  shown  those  other  rides." 

"The  peace  depends  entirely  upon  yourself." 

"And  the  rides?" 

She  studied  her  gloves  a  bit.  "  They  depend  upon 
your  good  behavior  and — the  future."  And  now, 
something  of  the  old  sweetness  was  in  her  smile. 

"Then  the  rides  are  sure,"  I  said.  "Come,  let 
us  give  the  horses  a  chance  to  stretch  themselves." 

We  pulled  up  at  the  Old  Forge;  a  smithy  long 
deserted  and  now  almost  hidden  beneath  vines  and 
undergrowth.  It  lay  at  the  crossways  of  two  roads — 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  81 

like  a  log  on  a  saw-buck — and  our  route  was  around 
it  to  the  left.  Just  beside  the  track  a  spring  bubbled 
out  into  a  wide  rock  basin.  At  the  basin  a  tall  bay 
horse  was  drinking;  and  in  the  saddle,  with  hands 
clasped  around  the  pommel,  sat  the  Princess  Dehra, 
so  deep  in  thought  she  did  not  note  our  approach. 

It  was  the  horse  who  aroused  her  by  the  nervous 
upward  fling  of  his  head.  Then  she  held  out  her 
hand  to  Lady  Helen — and  gave  me  a  smile. 

"  I  am  not  the  only  one,  then,  who  likes  the  early 
morning  ?  "  she  said. 

"It's  the  cream  of  the  day,"  said  Lady  Helen. 

"  Rather  the  champagne  of  the  day,"  the  Princess 
answered.  Then  she  laughed.  "I  forgot,  Major 
Dalberg,  it  isn't  well  to  take  champagne  before 
breakfast." 

"  I  prefer  coffee,  I  admit,"  said  I. 

"Are  you  two  going  anywhere  in  particular?" 
she  asked. 

"Straight  back  to  town,"  said  Lady  Helen; 
"  don't  you  see  Major  Dalberg  wants  his  breakfast  ?  " 

"  And  your  Ladyship  ?  "    the  Princess  questioned. 

Lady  Helen  laughed.  "I  am  very  human,  too,  I 
fear." 

"  Then,  why  not  breakfast  with  me  at  the  Summer 
Palace  ?  "  said  Dehra. 

"  We  shall  be  delighted,"  said  Lady  Helen,  without 
even  questioning  me  by  a  glance. 

"Your  Royal  Highness  is  too  gracious,"  I  pro 
tested  "I  fear  I  shall " 

6 


82       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Dehra  raised  her  crop.  "There  is  only  one  shall, 
sir;  you  shall  come  with  us." 

So  I  went;  even  while  my  better  judgment  bade 
me  turn  bridle  and  gallop  away.  A  man  is  very 
helpless  with  one  pretty  woman;  he  is  utterly  at  the 
mercy  of  two. 

Presently  we  passed  the  place  where  the  Princess 
and  I  had  met  six  years  before.  I  glanced  across 
and  found  her  eyes  on  me.  I  nodded  toward  the 
spot  where  I  had  removed  the  stone  from  the  mare's 
hoof,  and  she  nodded  back  in  answer. 

"  This  is  a  very  charming  road,"  I  said. 

"It's  a  favorite  with  Your  Highness,  is  it  not?" 
asked  Lady  Helen.  "I  have  often  met  you  on  it." 

I  affected  to  be  interested  in  something  beside  the 
track. 

"Yes,  I  believe  it  is,"  Dehra  answered  care 
lessly.  "It  is  soft  for  the  horse  and  little  travelled 
and  I  enjoy  the  quiet  of  the  forest."  Then  she 
deliberately  turned  and  smiled  at  me.  And  Lady 
Helen  saw  it 

At  the  top  of  the  hill  above  the  Palace  the  way 
narrowed  and  I  fell  behind;  and,  dismounting,  I 
affected  to  be  fixing  something  about  the  girth.  I 
wanted  to  see  the  Princess  go  down  that  tree-lined 
way  as  once  before  I  had  seen  her.  Then  they  came 
to  the  bend;  and,  leaning  against  my  horse's  shoulder, 
I  waited.  Would  she  remember  ? 

Suddenly,  she  turned  and  waved  her  hand,  exactly 
as  she  had  done  that  other  time;  only,  this  time,  it 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  83 

was  a  beckon  to  follow,  not  a  farewell.  I  sprang  to 
saddle  and  dashed  ahead,  almost  fearing  to  find  her 
vanished  and  it  only  a  dream.  When  I  rounded  the 
corner,  the  Princess  and  Lady  Helen  were  turning 
into  the  drive  that  led  from  the  road  to  the  Palace; 
and,  once  again,  Dehra  waved  me  onward. 

They  awaited  me  at  the  gate;  and,  with  the  guard 
standing  at  attention,  we  rode  into  the  grounds. 
I  noticed  that  the  Princess  acknowledged  the  salute 
with  her  crop  as  though  it  were  a  sword.  I  had 
returned  it  with  my  hand. 

"Your  way  is  the  correct  one,"  she  said. 

"But  yours  is  much  the  prettier,"  I  answered. 

"Maybe  that's  why  I  used  it,"  she  laughed. 

"It  is  sufficient  justification,"  I  assured  her. 

"His  Majesty  does  not  think  so — he  insists  that 
the  Colonel  of  the  Blue  Guards  should  conform  to  the 
regulations." 

"I  salute  my  superior  officer,"  I  said,  and  used 
my  crop  as  she  had  done. 

"How  delightful  to  be  a  Colonel,"  said  Lady 
Helen.  "  I  would  wear  the  uniform  all  the  time — 
if  it  were  becoming." 

"  How  could  it  be  otherwise  ?"     I  exclaimed. 

"  No  sarcasm,  sir,"  she  said  sharply. 

"  No,  Major  Dalberg,  no  sarcasm,"  Dehra 
cautioned,  "  or  you  will  be  asking,  presently,  if  I 
won  my  commission  on  the  field  of  battle." 

"  I  would  rather  not  imagine  you  on  the  field  of 
battle,"  I  answered. 


84      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Well,  you  needn't,"  she  laughed.  "It's  an 
infliction  of  birth.  It  belongs  to  the  eldest  child  of 
the  King  without  regard  to  sex." 

"It's  a  pity,  in  your  case,  the  crown  does  not 
follow  the  Colonelcy,"  I  thought — but  I  did  not  say  it. 

At  one  of  the  private  entrances  we  drew  up.  The 
Princess  was  out  of  saddle  as  quickly  as  myself; 
but  the  Lady  Helen  waited. 

"If  you  don't  want  to  stay  I  can  contrive  some 
excuse,"  she  whispered,  as  I  lifted  her  down. 

"I'm  quite  willing  to  risk  a  royal  breakfast  if  you 
are,"  I  answered. 

"Brave  man,"  she  mocked,  gathering  up  her 
skirt;  "you  wouldn't  flinch  at  leading  a  forlorn 
hope." 

"Watch  me  follow  one,"  I  retorted,  as  I  brought 
up  the  rear. 

"Which  one?"  she  asked  over  her  shoulder;  but  I 
did  not  answer. 

The  breakfast  was  served  in  a  charming  little 
room — which  I  assumed  to  be  a  portion  of  the 
Princess'  private  suite — and  was  of  the  sort  to 
provoke  more  early  morning  rides  along  the  Old 
Forge  Road. 

"This  may  be  a  bit  unconventional,"  said  Dehra, 
addressing  Lady  Helen,  rather  than  me,  "but,  if 
the  English  Ambassador  can  stand  it,  I  will  answer 
for  the  King  of  Valeria." 

"And  I'll  answer  for  the  American  Ambassador," 
I  volunteered. 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  85 

"Then  the  others  don't  matter,"  Lady  Helen 
laughed. 

"You  surely  have  relieved  us  very  much,  Major 
Dalberg,"  the  Princess  added.  "Lady  Helen  and 
I  have  been  so  concerned  for  your  reputation;  you 
risk  so  much,  you  know,  in  breakfasting  alone  with 
two  unmarried  young  women." 

"I'm  quite  sensible  of  my  danger,"  I  answered, 
and  looked  blandly  from  one  to  the  other. 

The  Princess  kept  her  eyes  on  her  plate;  but  Lady 
Helen  gazed  at  me  in  some  surprise. 

"If  you're  not  better  behaved,  sir,  I'll  take  you 
away  at  once,"  she  said. 

"You're  only  putting  a  premium  on  a  continu 
ance  of  it,"  said  Dehra. 

"No,  I'm  not,  Your  Highness;  he  hasn't  finished 
his  breakfast." 

"  You're  very  wise,"  the  Princess  laughed. 

Lady  Helen  shook  her  head.  "You  see,  I've 
known  Major  Dalberg  a  long  time,"  she  said. 

"Oh!  then  you  had  met  before  the  night  of  the 
Ball?" 

I  looked  at  Dehra  wonderingly.  Had  she  for 
gotten  that  I  myself  had  told  her,  on  the  terrace,  how 
long  I  had  known  the  Radnors. 

"We  were  old  dinner  and  cotillon  partners  in 
Washington,"  Lady  Helen  explained.  "He  was 
very  kind  to  me  there." 

"  That  wasn't  a  very  difficult  task,  was  it,  Major 
Dalberg  ?  "  Dehra  asked,  fixing  her  blue  eyes  on  my 
face. 


86      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Please,  Your  Highness — please,"  exclaimed  Lady 
Helen,  holding  up  her  hands. 

"I  think,"  I  replied,  "that  Lady  Helen  is,  in  her* 
self,  the  best  answer  to  Your  Highness 's  question." 

Just  then  there  came  a  step  in  the  corridor  and  the 
King  stood  in  the  doorway. 

"  Good  morning,  Lady  Helen,"  he  said,  taking  her 
fingers  and  raising  them  to  his  lips  in  the  beautiful 
old-fashion;  "it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  you  here  again." 
Then  he  bent  and  kissed  Dehra  on  the  forehead,  and 
turning  to  me  said,  extending  his  hand:  "And, 
Major  Dalberg,  you  are  very  welcome." 

Frederick  was  monarch  of  a  powerful  nation,  but 
he  could,  if  he  so  wished,  make  those  about  him 
forget  his  crown  and  see  only  the  quiet-mannered 
gentleman.  With  a  word  of  excuse  to  u*  he  drew  the 
Princess  aside  to  a  window  embrasure.  I  turned  to 
Lady  Helen. 

"So,"  said  I,  "you've  been  here  before?" 

She  smiled. 

"And  this  is  not  your  first  breakfast  with  Her 
Highness  ?  "  I  went  on. 

Another  smile. 

"And,  doubtless,  you  have  often  met  her  at  the 
Old  Forge?" 

Once  again  a  smile. 

"And  were  engaged  to  meet  her  there  this  morn- 
ing?" 

"You  are  too  discerning,  Major,"  she  said,  with 
a  shrug.  "  You  should  have  been  a  detective." 


AN  EARLY  MORNING  RIDE  87 

"Quite  right,"  I  agreed.  "I  am  always  the 
last  to  detect  a  plot  or  to  find  the  criminal." 

She  looked  at  me  through  half-closed  eyes. 
"Which  means?" 

I  gave  her  back  a  look  in  kind.  "  Whatever  you 
would" 

She  toyed  with  her  rings  a  bit.  "Why  should  I 
deliberately  bring  you  and  the  Princess  together?" 
she  demanded. 

"  Why,  indeed  ?"  said  I. 

"You  are  of  the  Blood — the  Palace  is  open  to 
you." 

I  raised  my  hand  sharply  in  warning. 

She  glanced  over  my  shoulder,  toward  the  window, 
with  a  derisive  smile.  "True,  the  Princess  might 
wonder  how  I  knew." 

I  made  no  answer. 

"  And  the  explanation  would  be  a  trifle  difficult," 
she  appended. 

"Do  you  think  she  would  ask  an  explanation?" 
I  inquired. 

She  smiled.  "No;  you  would  have  to  volunteer 
it" 

"That  would  be  easy,"  I  said  indifferently. 

"Surely!  Surely!  it  would  be  easy  to  tell  the 
Princess  Royal  that  you  were  so  confidential  with 
Lady  Helen  Radnor,  on  the  terrace  at  the  Birthday 
Ball,  that  you  told  her  the  secret  of  your  cousinship — 
try  it,  Major  Dalberg,  try  it — it  will  be  so  easy,"  and 
she  laughed  softly. 


88      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  rather  think  I  shall,"  said  I,  looking  her  in  the 
eye.  "  I  prefer  that  she  hear  it  from  me." 

Her  mood  changed  instantly.  "You  don't  trust 
me  ?  "  she  said. 

I  leaned  forward  and  said.  "I  trust  you  entirely; 
surely,  you  know  that ! " 

"And  you  will  believe  I  had  no  appointment  to 
meet  the  Princess  ?  " 

"If  you  wish  it,"  I  said. 

Then  the  King  and  the  Princess  returned  to  the 
table. 


VIII 
THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS 

"  ARE  you  in  haste  to  return  ?  "  The  King  asked 
Lady  Helen. 

"None  whatever,  sire,"  she  replied. 

"  And  you,  Major  Dalberg  ?  "  he  asked. 

"I  am  at  Your  Majesty's  service,"  said  I, 
bowing. 

"Then,  if  the  ladies  will  excuse  you  for  a  short 
while?" 

"  Don't  make  it  too  short,  sire,"  said  Lady  Helen — 
and  then  the  door  closed  and  saved  me  a  reply; 
which,  doubtless,  was  as  well,  for  I  have  not  yet 
thought  of  a  good  one. 

"Bright  girl,  that,"  said  the  King. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "embarrassingly  bright  at  times." 

"  Was  she  in  Washington  with  Radnor  ? ' 

"Yes;  I  knew  her  there." 

"Then  you  don't  need  to  be  warned." 

I  was  silent. 

"She  has  incapacitated  half  my  military  house 
hold  with  lacerated  hearts  or,  indirectly,  with 
punctured  bodies;  there  is  small  difference." 

"  Better  have  only  married  officers,"  I  suggested. 

89 


90      COLONEL  OF  JHE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Lord,  sir,  they  are  the  first  victims.  Immuncs 
are  what  I  want" 

"Like  myself,  for  instance,"  said  I. 

He  turned  and  put  his  hand  on  my  shoulder. 
"  I've  had  plenty  like  you,  lad,"  he  said  kindly. 

I  laughed.  "Then  I  may  not  hope  for  a  place  at 
Court?"  I  asked — and  straightway  wondered  why 
I  had  asked  it 

We  had  just  come  to  a  small  door,  before  which 
paced  a  soldier  of  the  Guard,  and  the  King  made  no 
reply  until  we  were  in  his  private  library  and  he  had 
motioned  me  to  a  chair  and  an  assortment  of  pipes 
and  cigars. 

"It  was  something  of  that  sort  that  I  want  to 
discuss  with  you,  if  I  may,"  he  said. 

"  If  you  may  ?  "    I  echoed. 

He  nodded.  "You  are  a  subject  of  the  United 
States  and  a  representative  of  its  government  at  my 
Court." 

"I  had  forgotten  their  significance,"  I  admitted. 

"  But,  with  your  permission,  we  can  lay  aside  our 
officialism  and  hold  a  family  conference." 

The  idea  of  my  holding  a  family  conference  with 
the  King  of  Valeria!  I  smiled  involuntarily;  and 
Frederick  saw  it 

"  Don't  you  feel  quite  at  home  in  the  family,  yet, 
my  lad  ? "  he  asked. 

"It  is  not  Your  Majesty's  fault  if  I  don't,"  said  I; 
"  but  royalty  is  a  bit  new  and  strange  to  me." 

He  laughed  heartily.    "  You  are  quite  too  modest, 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS         91 

Armand.  You  spoke  of  a  place  at  Court;  would  you 
accept  one  ?  " 

"Surely,  sire,  you  knew  I  was  only  jesting!"  I 
exclaimed. 

"  Of  course,"  said  he;  "  but  I'm  not.  I  am  entirely 
serious." 

"I  suppose,"  said  I,  "I'm  as  ambitious  as  most 
men." 

"A  little  more  so,  if  you're  a  good  Dalberg,"  the 
King  interjected. 

"  But  am  I  a  good  Dalberg  ?  " 

He  waved  his  hand  toward  a  mirror  in  the  wall. 
"  Use  your  eyes,"  he  said. 

"I  don't  mean  physically,"  I  objected. 

"I  am  very  willing  to  trust  Nature.  She  didn't 
give  you  old  Henry's  body  and  then  mock  it  with 
inferior  abilities." 

I  shook  my  head. 

"Besides,"  he  went  on,  "I  admit  I  have  had  a 
report  on  you  from  my  Ambassador  at  Washington." 

"  I  trust,"  said  I,  with  a  laugh,  "  it  has  left  me  a  few 
shreds  of  repute." 

"It  didn't  hurt  you  much,  my  lad." 

That  was  the  third  time  he  had  called  me  his 
"lad." 

"Your  Majesty  then  offers  me  a  title  and  a  place 
at  Court  ?  " 

The  King  smiled.  "Yes,"  said  he;  "a  high  title 
and  a  high  place." 

I  pulled  on  my  cigar  and  tried  to  think.    But,  on 


92       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

every  cloud  of  smoke,  I  seemed  to  see  the  Princess; 
and  all  my  brain  knew  was  the  single  idea :  "  It  will 
bring  me  within  reach  of  her."  I  got  up  sharply  and 
paced  the  room,  until  I  threw  off  the  foolish  notion 
and  could  look  at  the  matter  in  its  true  proportions. 

"Tell  me,  Your  Majesty,"  I  said,  "if  I  accept, 
will  I  be  regarded  as  a  legitimate  descendant  of  the 
House  of  Dalberg  or  as  of  a  morganatic  marriage  ?  " 

The  King  nodded.  "I  had  anticipated  that 
would  be  your  first  question.  You  will  be  legiti 
mate." 

"But,"  said  I,  "if  I  understand  the  canons  of 
royalty,  my  great-grandfather  having  married  one 
not  of  royal  rank  his  descendants  are,  as  regards  the 
House  of  Valeria,  illegitimate." 

"As  a  general  proposition  that  is  true;  but  it 
happens  that  your  case  is  a  peculiar  exception." 

" I  am  glad,"  said  I;  "  otherwise  we  had  reached  an 
end  of  the  matter." 

"  That,  Major,  is  one  of  your  American  notions," 
said  the  King;  "there  is  no  disgrace  in  morganatic 
marriages." 

"  It's  all  a  question  of  national  taste,"  said  I;  "  and 
you  know,  sire,  ' de  gustibus  non' " 

He  drummed  with  his  fingers  a  moment  on  the 
table. 

"I  have  some  unhandy  views,  possibly,"  said  I. 

"Oh,  you  will  soon  outgrow  them,"  he  returned; 
"only,  it  may  be  a  trifle  awkward  if  you  parade 
them." 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS        93 

"But,  maybe,  I  shall  not  care  to  outgrow  them." 
I  objected.  "  And,  then,  there  is  another  notion — 
American,  too,  doubtless — which  I  fear  will  be  & 
final  bar." 

"Nonsense,  Armand,"  said  the  King,  a  bit 
sharply.  "What  other  objection  can  even  an 
American  raise  ?  " 

"This,  sire,"  said  I:  "When  Hugo  left  Dornlitz 
his  estates  were  forfeited,  his  titles  were  revoked  and 
his  name  was  stricken  from  the  family  roll.  How  can 
he  now,  after  a  century  and  a  quarter,  be  rehabili 
tated  ?  " 

"The  King,  as  Head  of  our  House,  has  full 
power." 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  his  power  in  the  family  is  limitless, 
save  that  he  may  not  change  the  succession  to  the 
Crown  in  favor  of  a  female — more's  the  pity.  But, 
while  Your  Majesty  may  make  me  a  Duke,  or  even  a 
Prince,  yet  that  will  not  give  back  to  Hugo  the  rights 
he  was  deprived  of  by  his  arbitrary  father." 

The  King  smiled  indulgently.  "  For  an  American 
you  have  a  large  fund  of  sentiment." 

"That  is  the  Dalberg  in  me,  doubtless,"  I  replied. 

"Then,  sir,  I  understand  that — because  your 
great-grandfather  didn't  live  for  one  hundred  and 
forty  years  and  so  be  able  now  to  receive,  in  the 
flesh,  the  edict  of  restoration — you,  his  eldest  male 
heir,  refuse  to  accept  your  rights;  the  rights  that 
come  to  you  through  him  ?  " 

"No,  that's  not  exactly  it;  it's  this:     For  Your 


94      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HTJZZARS 

Majesty,  now,  to  restore  me  to  the  Family  Roll,  can 
be  done  only  upon  the  hypothesis  that  all  of  Hugo's 
descendants  have  been  debruised  by  the  bar  sinister — 
the  very  act  of  restoration  presupposes  such  dis 
qualification." 

"You  forget  I  said  you  were  legitimate,"  said  the 
King. 

"  By  your  grace;  not  by  old  Henry's,"  I  objected. 

"But,  recall  that  Hugo  himself  was  offered  his 
titles  and  rights  by  his  brother  and  that  he  declined 
them." 

"Yes;  that  is  just  the  point,"  said  I:  "he  declined 
them." 

Frederick  took  a  iresh  cigar  and  lit  it  carefully, 
blowing  the  smoke  in  tiny  rings  to  the  ceiling. 

"I  think  I  understand  now,"  he  said.  "You  will 
decline  our  offer  because  it  necessitates  the  restoration 
now,  of  Hugo's  descendants,  to  the  Family  Roll  ? " 

I  bowed  in  silence. 

"It's  a  great  pity,"  he  said,  sadly.  "Otherwise, 
if  Hugo  had,  in  effect,  never  been  disinherited  and 
if  the  legitimacy  of  his  descendants  had  been  specifi 
cally  preserved  by  Royal  Decree,  you  would  accept 
our  offer  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  I — "or,  at  least,  I  would  give  it 
serious  consideration,"  I  added  with  a  laugh. 

The  King  turned  slowly  and,  for  a  space,  kept  his 
eyes  fixed  steadily  on  my  face,  as  though  searching 
there  for  an  answer  to  something  about  which  his 
mind  was  undecided.  Have  you  ever  had  a  monarch 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS         95 

or  one  high  in  authority  look  at  you  so  ?  If  you  have, 
you  are  likely  to  remember  it  many  days. 

Then  he  arose  abruptly  and,  crossing  to  a  large 
vault  built  in  a  far  corner,  returned  with  a  heavy 
black  box  curiously  bound  with  brass  and  inlaid 
with  silver.  Placing  it  on  the  table  between  us,  he 
took  from  his  watch  chain  a  small  antique  key  and 
pushing  it,  with  a  queer  side-motion,  into  the  lock, 
it  opened  with  a  sharp  snap,  and  he  threw  back  the 
lid. 

"I  wonder,"  said  he,  as  he  lifted  out  a  thick 
leather-covered  book  with  heavy  metal  hinges, 
"if  there  are  many  Americans  whom  it  would  be  so 
difficult  to  persuade  to  accept  a  royal  title  ?" 

"I  fancy  it  would  be  much  the  same  with  all  the 
truly  representative  old  American  families,"  said  I. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Then,  for  the 
credit  of  America,  it's  a  pity  Europe  does  not  know 
some  of  those  same  old  families;  if  they  are  the 
Country's  true  Nobility." 

"Yes,  but  not  Nobility  on  European  lines,"  said 
I.  "  They  are  the  worthy  descendants  of  those  who 
founded  the  Nation;  and  the  proudest  patent  is  a 
commission  from  King  or  Colony  or  from  the 
Continental  Congress  in  the  Revolution." 

The  King  smiled.  "Isn't  that  every  Nation's 
Nobility — the  descendants  of  the  officers  who 
xielped  their  chief  to  establish  a  kingdom  ?  " 

"It  may  be  so,"  I  answered;  "but  the  systems 
are  wide  apart.  You  will  observe,  I  said  the  worthy 


96       COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

descendants.    In  America  it  needs  manhood  as  well 
as  birthright — gentle  living  as  well  as  gentle  blood." 

"While  with  us  it  needs  only  gentle  blood,  you 
mean  ?  "  said  Frederick,  good  naturedly.  "  Well,  we 
shall  not  argue  over  the  matter;  and,  particularly, 
since  the  Dalbergs  have  no  fault  to  find  with  their 
representative  among  the  American  Nobility;  it's 
rather  he  who  is  ashamed  of  his  Valerian  relatives." 

"I  am  quite  satisfied  with  the  two  I've  met,"  I 
protested. 

"  So  well,  indeed,  with  one  of  them  that  you  kissed 
her  instantly,"  the  King  laughed. 

"And  am  glad,  now,  I  did  it  I  shall  never  have 
another  chance." 

He  shot  a  quick  glance  at  me,  as  he  opened  the 
book  and  began  to  turn  the  heavy  parchment  pages, 
which  I  could  see  were  illumined  in  beautiful  colors 
and  with  strange,  large  lettering.  Presently,  these 
ended  and  the  characters  seemed  to  be  in  ancient 
script,  which  gradually  grew  more  modern.  At  one 
of  these  later  pages,  the  King  stopped  and  addressed 
me: 

"You  have  said  that,  unless  Hugo's  rights  and 
the  Dalberg  legitimacy  of  his  descendants  were 
preserved,  by  special  Decree,  made  during  Hugo's 
life,  you  would  decline  to  return  to  Court."  He 
paused  a  moment,  then  went  on :  "  It  would  almost 
seem  that  old  Henry  had  some  presentiment  of 
a  certain  stubborn-minded  grandchild,  for  he  pro 
vided  for  just  such  a  condition  as  you  have  made. 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS         97 

This  book  is  the  Laws  of  the  House  of  Dalberg. 
Listen  to  what  is  written  touching  Hugo,  son  of 
Henry  the  Third." 

Instinctively,  I  arose  and  stood  at   attention. 

The  King  read: 

"Section  one-hundred  twenty-first — For  inasmuch 
as  our  second  son,  Hugo,  hath,  in  defiance  of  our 
specific  prohibition,  this  day  left  our  Kingdom  and 
gone  over  Sea  to  the  North  American  Colonies  of 
Great  Britain,  there  to  join  the  forces  of  one, 
George  Washington,  who  is  leading  a  revolt  against 
his  lawful  sovereign,  the  King  of  England,  with 
whom  I  am  at  peace;  It  is  hereby  decreed  that  the 
said  Hugo  shall  forfeit  all  titles  and  emoluments 
heretofore  conferred,  and  his  name  is  hereby  stricken 
from  the  Family  Roll.  From  this  day  he  ceaseth 
to  be  a  Dalberg  of  Valeria. 

"  HENRY  III,  Rex. 

"  Ye  17th  October,  A.D.,  1777." 

Frederick    glanced    up.      "That    was    the    judg 
ment,"  said  he.    "Listen,  now,  to  the  pardon: — 

"Section  one-hundred  twenty-fifth — Whereas,  we 
have  learned  that  our  second  son,  Hugo,  hath 
served  with  much  honour  in  the  American  Army 
under  General  Washington,  and  hath,  since  the  ter 
mination  of  hostilities,  married  into  a  good  family  in 
one  of  the  said  American  States,  called  Maryland, 
and  hath  assumed  residence  therein;  and  whereas 
he  hath  never  sought  aid  from  us  nor  sued  for 
pardon;  Now,  therefore,  in  recognition  of  his  valour 
and  self-reliance  and  true  Dalberg  independence,  it 
is  decreed  that  Section  one-hundred  twenty-one, 
supra,  be  annulled;  and  Hugo's  name  is  hereby  rein 
stated  on  the  Family  Roll  in  its  proper  place,  the 
same  as  though  never  stricken  therefrom.  And  it 
7 


98      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

is  further  decreed  that  the  marriage  of  Hugo  and 
the  marriages  of  his  descendants  shall  be  deemed 
valid  and  lawful,  the  same  as  though  their  respec 
tive  consorts  were  of  the  Blood  Royal." 

"Is  that  sufficiently  definite,  sir?"  the  King 
asked. 

"It  is  very  extraordinary,"  I  said,  in  wonder. 

"There  is  a  bit  more,"  he  said,  and  resumed 
reading : 

"The  titles  conferred  upon  Hugo  shall,  however, 
remain  in  abeyance  until  claimed  anew  by  him  or 
by  his  right  heir  male  ;  nor  shall  the  latter  be 
eligible  to  the  Crown  unless  hereinafter  specifically 
decreed  so  to  be — or,  in  event  of  a  vacancy  in  the 
royal  dignity  without  such  decree  having  been  so 
made,  then,  by  special  Act  of  the  House  of  Nobles. 
"  HENRY  III.,  Rex, 

"  Ye  7th  September,  A.D.  1785." 

The  King  closed  the  book.  "That,"  said  he, 
"is  the  record,"  and  motioned  me  to  sit  down. 

I  obeyed  mechanically.  ,  Through  my  head  was 
ringing  those  last  few  words  that  made  possible  the 
Crown  of  my  ancestors.  Under  the  Decree  I  was, 
de  jure,  the  eldest  male  after  the  King ;  it  needed  only 
his  act  to  make  me  his  successor.  A  single  line, 
sealed  with  his  seal,  in  that  big  book  just  beside  me, 
and  plain  Armand  Dalberg,  Major  in  the  Army  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  would  be  Heir  Pre 
sumptive  to  one  of  the  great  Kingdoms  of  Earth. 
And  Dehra!  I  could  get  no  further.  Crown  and 
Kingdom  faded  and  I  saw  only  a  woman's  face. 

Then  the  King  coughed,  and  I  came  sharply  back 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS         9& 

to  life,  and  visions  fled.  But,  even  then,  realities 
seemed  almost  visions,  still. 

I  turned  to  the  King.  "Will  Your  Majesty  per 
mit  me  a  few  days  to  consider  the  matter  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  As  many  as  you  wish,  my  boy,"  he  said  kindly. 

"It  is  all  so  extraordinary.  I  am  in  no  condition 
to  look  at  it  with  even  reasonable  judgment." 

"I  think,"  said  he,  "I  can  quite  understand." 

"But  there  is  something  I  can  foresee,  even  now." 
said  I. 

The  King  smiled.    "  Trouble  ?  " 

"Yes,  trouble  in  plenty." 

"  But  if  the  price  be  worth  it  all  ? "  he  asked, 
studying  a  smoke  ring  as  it  floated  lazily  upward. 

"  The  trouble  does  not  bother  me." 

"  Oh ! "  said  he,  "  I  know  that. " 

"Then,  may  I  ask,"  said  I,  "if  the  Duke  of 
Lotzen  knows  of  these  Decrees  ?  " 

"The  Heir  Presumptive  is  always  made  ac 
quainted  with  the  Laws  of  his  House." 

"  What,  think  you,  then,  Sire,  would  be  his  attitude 
in  such  an  anomalous  situation  as  would  follow  my 
presence  in  Valeria  as  Hugo's  heir  ?  " 

"You  mean,  how  would  he  view  a  rival  for  the 
Crown?" 

"  Well,  that's  a  bit  broader  than  I  intended,"  said  I. 

The  King  laughed.  "There  is  no  need  for  us  to 
mince  words — the  matter  is  perfectly  evident. 
Under  the  Law,  here,  it  needs  but  my  Decree  to 
make  you  eligible  to  the  Crown;  and  that  neces- 


100    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

sarily  would  displace  Lotzen  and  make  you  Heir 
Presumptive.  How  do  you  think  he  would  view  it  ?" 

"  How  would  any  man  view  it  ?  "  I  asked. 

"But  what  have  Lotzen 's  views  to  do  with  the 
matter?"  Frederick  asked  sharply.  "I  am  the 
King;  here  are  the  Laws.  What  Dalberg  would 
dispute  them  ?  " 

"But,  Your  Majesty,  Lotzen  might  not  be  alone 
in  disputing  them — the  Army  and  the  House  of 
Nobles  might  join  him.  And,  assuming  that  you 
would  never  intend  to  displace  Lotzen  by  me,  never 
theless,  you  would  be  put  into  the  embarrassing 
position  of  seeming  to  be  coerced  by  your  subjects." 

"Coerced!  Coerced!"  said  Frederick,  flinging 
his  cigar  savagely  into  the  grate.  "Do  I  hear  a 
Dalberg  fear  that  for  his  King?" 

"  Nay,  Sire,"  I  protested,  "  I  did  not  say  that." 

But  the  anger  had  already  passed.  "Nonsense, 
lad,  I  understand  you,"  he  said;  "only,  I  know  my 
Kingdom  better  than  you  do — yet,"  and  he  laughed. 

But  I  protested  again.  "  Would  it  not  be  wiser  for 
me  to  consider  the  question  only  upon  the  hypothesis 
that  Lotzen  shall  not  be  displaced ?  " 

"Don't  be  a  fool,  Armand,"  Frederick  cut  in. 
"Of  course,  I  cannot  prevent  your  renouncing  all 
right  to  the  Crown,  but  it  will  be  most  displeasing 
to  me  and  against  my  express  wish." 

"Your  Majesty  is  very  flattering." 

"  His  Majesty  is  very  selfish.  Since  he  has  no  son, 
he  wants  the  privilege  of  choosing  his  successor." 


THE  LAWS  OF  THE  DALBERGS   101 

So  he  meant  to  give  me  a  chance  to  win  the  Crown ! 
I  shut  my  eyes;  there  was  too  much  satisfaction  in 
them.  Yet,  I  felt  almost  ashamed.  I  had  sneered 
so  often  at  Courtney  and  his  suggestions;  had  called 
him  a  fool  and  his  words  nonsense — even  a  short 
half  hour  ago  I  would  have  done  the  same  again. 
And  now! — Truly  there  was  something  strangely 
impressive  and  powerfully  alluring  about  that  big, 
brass-bound  book,  with  its  Royal  restitution  and 
honors  and  the  glorious  opportunity  extended. 
Would  any  man — nay,  would  any  half-man  refuse  ? 

Then  I  opened  my  eyes  and  met  the  King's  kindly 
smile. 

"  Did  the  prospect  blind  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "it  did — maybe  my  eyes  are  too 
weak  ever  to  bear  the  bright  light  of  royalty." 

"Never  fear,  lad,  never  fear;  they  will  soon 
strengthen.  Ask  Courtney,  if  you  care  to  make  him 
a  confidant.  I  am  very  sure  of  his  advice  in  the 
matter." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  I. 

"  Any  man's  would  be  the  same — your  own  to  one 
in  a  similar  position." 

I  could  not  deny  it;  but  I  would  make  no  decision 
under  the  present  influences.  I  must  have  a  season 
of  calm  thought  and  careful  judgment. 

The  King  waited  a  moment.  "Well,  take  your 
own  good  pleasure,  Armand,"  said  he;  "only,  the 
sooner  you  come  to  Court  the  less  time  you  will 
waste." 


102    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Of  course,  I  saw  his  meaning.  "  I  shall  ask  but 
one  day,  at  the  most." 

"Good,"  said  he.  "This  is  Friday — dine  with 
Dehra  and  me  here  to-morrow  evening.  Come  by 
the  private  entrance." 

Then  we  went  back  to  the  Princess  and  Lady 
Helen.  But  what  a  different  life  had  opened  to  me 
in  the  short  absence. 


IX 

THE  DECISION 

I  WAS  sitting  alone  in  the  library  late  that  night 
when  Courtney  came  in.  He  had  been  to  some 
function  at  the  French  Embassy,  from  which  I  had 
begged  off,  and  seemed  surprised  to  see  me. 

"Taps  are  a  bit  late  to-night,"  he  remarked, 
pouring  a  measure  of  Scotch  and  shooting  in  the  soda. 

"  I've  been  thinking,"  I  answered. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  Major,"  he  began — then  put 
down  his  glass  and  looked  at  me  curiously. 

"  You  were  about  to  say  ?  "    I  questioned. 

He  glanced  at  the  clock.  "  When  a  man  of  your 
age  sits  up  thinking  until  two  in  the  morning  it  is 
either  financial  trouble  or  love." 

"  My  finances  are  all  right,"  I  volunteered. 

"Ergo,"  said  he,  and  began  to  sip  his  Scotch. 

"And   I'm    not "   then    I    stopped — "in    the 

marrying  class,  you  know,"  I  ended. 

"  It's  a  pity  to  have  such  excellent  raw  material  go 
to  waste,"  he  commented,  and  smiled. 

"  The  truth  is,  Courtney,  I  waited  up  for  you." 

He  put  down  his  glass  again.  "  Business  ? "  he 
inquired,  quickly.  "  Anything  amiss  ?  " 

103 


104    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

I  shook  my  head.  "It's  nothing  amiss  diplo 
matically;  but  it  is  business  in  a  way;  only,  it's  my 
personal  business.  I  want  your  advice." 

He  looked  at  me,  sharply,  an  instant.  "  Drive  on, 
old  man;  I'm  all  attention,"  he  said. 

"I've  been  at  the  Summer  Palace,"  I  began. 

He  nodded. 

"And  breakfasted  with  the  Princess  Royal,"  I 
went  on. 

"Alone!  Be  careful,  my  dear  Major,"  he  cau 
tioned. 

"Lady  Helen  Radnor  was  there;  and  the  King 
also,  for  a  bit,"  I  explained. 

"  Good,"  said  he;  "you  are  progressing  famously." 

"  Oh,  it  was  all  accidental." 

He  smiled  broadly. 

"I  went  for  an  early  morning  ride;  Lady  Helen 
happened  to  overtake  me;  we  chanced  upon  the 
Princess;  she  asked  us  to  breakfast;  and  the  King 
came  in  during  the  meal." 

Courtney  was  studying  the  point  of  a  paper- 
cutter.  "Very  wonderful,  indeed,"  he  commented. 

"What;  the  paper-cutter?"  I  asked,  a  trifle  im 
patiently. 

"No;  the  series  of  accidents." 

"They  are  only  preliminary." 

"Preliminaries  are  often  most  important." 

"  Not  here,"  said  I.  "  What  I  want  to  consult  you 
about  is  this:  The  King  has  asked  me  to  accept 
the  titles  of  old  Hugo,  and  to  take  my  place  at  Court" 


THE  DECISION  105 

Courtney  laid  the  paper-cutter  carefully  on  the 
blotter,  and  drawing  out  his  cigarette  case,  he 
selected  one  and  slowly  lit  it.  I  knew  his  way  and 
waited  patiently. 

"  And  Lotzen — and  the  Crown  P  "  he  said  presently. 

"  Do  you  care  for  the  whole  story  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes,  let  me  have  it  all,"  and,  settling  back  in  his 
chair,  he  closed  his  eyes  and  prepared  to  listen. 

Then  I  told  him  everything  of  the  meeting  with 
the  King  in  his  library,  repeating,  as  well  as  I  could 
remember,  Frederick's  exact  language,  describing 
his  attitude  toward  me  and  his  evident  desire  in  the 
matter. 

"That  is  the  situation  and  the  problem,"  I  ended, 
"  and  the  answer  is  due  to-morrow.  I  am  to  dine  at 
the  Summer  Palace." 

Courtney  sat  up  and  began  to  polish  his  eye 
glasses.  "  I  assume  you  have  made  no  decision  ?  "  he 
asked  presently. 

"  If  I  had,"  said  I,  "  I  would  have  gone  to  bed." 

He  nodded  and  kept  on  at  the  eye-glasses.  At 
last  they  seemed  to  suit  him,  and  he  shoved  them  into 
place  and  lit  another  cigarette. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  he  said,  at  length,  "  the  matter  is 
wholly  one  of  personal  inclination ;  with  no  obligation 
upon  you  to  decide  it  upon  any  other  basis.  There 
fore,  the  first  question  is  simply  this :  Which  do  you 
prefer  to  be — an  American  officer  and  citizen  or  a 
Valerian  Archduke  ?  " 

"That  is  just  what  I  don't  know,"  said  I. 


106    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Well,  would  it  be  any  easier  to  answer  if  I  were  to 
add :  '  With  a  chance  for  the  Crown '  ?  " 

"  That  complicates  it  even  more,  I  think." 

He  looked  at  me  hard  for  a  moment.  I  knew  he 
was  thinking  of  the  Princess  and  I  shook  my  head. 

"Better  look  at  it  only  on  the  first  proposition,"  he 
said:  'an  American  officer  or  an  Archduke.'  ' 

"If  I  accept,"  said  I,  "I  shall  play  for  all  the 
stakes." 

"  Of  course,"  said  he,  "  but  you  may  lose." 

"It  is  more  than  likely  I  shall." 

"Yet,  even  if  you  do,  you  will  still  be  the  Arch 
duke,"  he  argued. 

"I  think  I  would  not  accept  it  without  the  other 
chances,"  I  said. 

"Yet  you  would  adventure  those  very  chances 
without  being  sure  of  the  Archdukeship  ? "  he 
insisted. 

I  nodded,  and  Courtney  laughed  and  fingered  his 
imperial. 

"  You  have  lost  several  hours  of  sleep  to-night,  my 
dear  Major,  very  needlessly,"  he  said.  "You  know 
quite  well  you  will  accept  Frederick's  offer." 

"  Do  you  advise  me  to  accept  ?  "    I  demanded. 

"  Do  you  fancy  I  would  advise  you  to  do  anything 
else?" 

"  You  say  that  as  my  best  friend  ?  "    I  persisted. 

"I  do — and  more;  I  urge  it." 

"I  think  I  am  growing  childish,"  I  said,  "I  can't 
make  a  decision;  I'm  afraid  of  the  Dark,  as  it  were." 


THE  DECISION  107 

Courtney  nodded.  "That  is  precisely  why  I  am 
able  to  see  the  matter  more  clearly  than  you — there  is 
no  Dark  to  make  me  fearful." 

"  And  my  commission  and  American  citizenship  ?  " 

Courtney  smiled.  "  You  will  have  in  exchange  the 
Patent  of  an  Archduke  of  Valeria  with  all  its  powers 
and  privileges;  and,  at  the  very  least,  the  commission 
of  General  of  Brigade  in  the  Valerian  Army.  That's 
a  trifle  more  than  you  are  giving  up,  don't  you 
think?" 

I  made  no  answer. 

"And  then,"  he  went  on,  "you  can  throw  it  all 
over  and  come  back  to  us  if  you  get  tired  of  your  new 
job." 

"  I  may  be  glad  enough  to  get  back  to  you  and  my 
American  commission." 

"Bother  your  commission!  What  does  a  man  of 
your  age  and  position  want  in  the  hard-working 
American  army  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  What  does  a  man  of  your  age  and  wealth  want 
bothering  with  diplomacy  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because  I  enjoy  the  business,  I  reckon." 

"  Just  as  someone  else  may  enjoy  being  a  Major 
of  Engineers." 

"Come,"  said  he;  "if  that's  all  that  bothers  you, 
I'll  engage  to  put  you  back  in  our  Army  any  time 
within  two  years,  if  you  wish  it." 

"You  are  very  good,  Courtney,"  I  said.  "I  fear, 
however,  the  War  Department  would  not  be  so 
gracious, " 


108    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  snapped  his  fingers.  "That,  for  the  War 
Department,"  he  said  contemptuously. 

"  Besides,  I'm  too  old  to  learn  a  new  profession,"  I 
objected. 

*'  A  new  profession  ?  "  he  questioned. 

I  nodded.  "The  profession  of  being  an  Arch 
duke." 

"If  I  might  judge  by  the  Birthday  Ball,"  he 
laughed,  "you  will  have  very  little  to  learn." 

"Oh,  I'm  not  bothered  about  the  women;  I  can 
manage  them  all  right." 

"For  the  love  of  Heaven!  don't  say  that  so  loud," 
he  exclaimed.  "One  of  them  might  hear  you,  and 
then "  and  he  raised  his  hands  expressively. 

"  We  are  growing  frivolous,"  said  I,  "  let  us  go  to 
bed." 

He  tossed  his  cigarette  into  the  grate.  "Some 
times  it  is  well  to  sleep  over  a  problem,"  he  said. 
He  poured  two  measures  of  liquor.  "Here's  to  a 
clear  mind  and  a  right  decision  in  the  morning." 

We  drank  it  standing — and  I,  at  least,  with 
feeling. 

I  cannot  say  if  a  good  night's  rest  had  anything 
to  do  with  it,  but,  when  I  awoke,  my  mind  was  made 
up,  and  I  was  ready  to  give  answer  to  the  King.  It 
chanced  that  Courtney  and  I  met  at  breakfast — the 
American  customs  as  to  meals  prevailed  at  the 
Embassy — and  had  the  room  to  ourselves;  possibly, 
because  we  were  very  late  and  the  day  was  very 
charming. 


THE  DECISION  109 

**  Well,"  said  he,  "  I  see  you've  made  your  decision; 
which  gets  it,  Valeria  or  America  ?  " 

"  Behold  a  prospective  Archduke ! "  said  I. 

He  arose  and,  hand  over  heart,  bowed  low.  "I 
salute  Your  Royal  Highness!"  he  said. 

"Nonsense!"  I  exclaimed,  "don't  be  ridiculous." 

"I  am  quite  serious.  It's  an  unusual  pleasure  to 
have  one  worth  saluting." 

I  waved  the  compliment  aside.  "If  it  is  to  ter 
minate  my  old  friendships  or  bring  formality  into 
private  intercourse  I  shall  remain  American,"  I 
declared. 

The  diplomat  smiled.  "  Don't  you  see  it  all  rests 
with  yourself  ?  You  can  be  as  formal  or  as  familiar 
as  you  please." 

"  I  can  revise  my  List  of  Friends,  so  to  speak — 
drop  those  I  don't  care  for  and  enter  such  new  ones 
as  I  wish  ?  " 

"Exactly." 

"  Well,  that  much  of  the  new  order  will  be  quite  to 
my  liking,"  said  I,  and  turned  to  my  mail. 

The  letters  lay  face  downward,  of  course,  and  I 
opened  them  in  their  order  without  bothering  to 
examine  the  superscription.  Presently,  I  came  upon 
one  sealed  with  a  blurred  dab  of  green  wax.  Rather 
curious,  I  turned  it  over;  it  was  unstamped  and  was 
marked:  "Personal  and  Important."  I  did  not 
know  the  hand- writing;  but,  then,  Lady  Helen 
Radnor's  was  the  only  one  in  all  Dornlitz  I  could 
have  known. 


"Here,"  said  I  to  Courtney,  "is  a  letter  marked 
'Personal  and  Important';  what  is  it;  an  invitation 
to  contribute  to  the  professionally  destitute  ?  " 

"  More  likely  an  invitation  to  some  gambling  den." 

I  tossed  it  over.  "Take  a  look  at  it  and  guess 
again,"  I  said. 

He  glanced  languidly  at  the  envelope;  then  picked 
it  up  quickly  and  scrutinized  it  sharply. 

"  We  both  are  wrong,"  he  said,  and  he  motioned  for 
the  servant  to  return  it  to  me. 

I  knew  he  had  recognized  the  writing  and  that  it 
called  for  more  respect  than  a  careless  fling  across  the 
table.  I  broke  the  seal  and  drew  out  the  letter. 
It  bore  the  Royal  Arms  over  the  word  "Dornlitz." 
Beneath,  it  read: 

'My  DEAR  COUSIN: 

"His  Majesty  has  told  me  of  the  meeting  in  the 
Library  this  morning.  I  know  I  have  no  right  to 
meddle — but,  won't  you  please  accept  and  come  back 
to  your  own?  The  King  wants  you.  We  shall  wel 
come  you  with  all  our  hearts.  Come,  Armand! 

"DEHRA." 

I  read  it  slowly  a  second  time — and  then  a  third 
time — wondering,  the  while,  whether  I  should  show 
it  to  Courtney. 

"  You  know  who  wrote  this  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  know  who  wrote  the  address." 

"  Then  know  the  note,  also,"  said  I,  and  read  it  to 
him. 

His  face  was  quite  expressionless  as  I  read;  but, 
at  the  end,  he  gave  the  faintest  nod  of  approval. 


THE  DECISION  111 

t 

"  If  that  does  not  hold  you  to  the  task,  you  are " 

he  stopped.  "  God,  Sir!  You  ought  to  be  proud  to  be 
her  cousin,"  he  ended. 

I  spent  the  balance  of  the  day  arranging  the  affairs 
of  my  office,  to  the  end  that  I  could  instantly  sever 
all  official  relations  with  the  American  Government, 
and,  so  assume  my  new  rank  with  the  least  possible 
embarrassment  to  Courtney.  He  would,  doubtless, 
find  it  unfortunate  enough  to  have,  as  a  Royal 
Archduke,  one  who  but  lately  was  his  Military 
Attache,  and  familiar  with  much  of  his  policy  and 
purpose.  I  said  as  much  to  him  that  evening,  as  we 
rode  toward  the  Summer  Palace,  but  he  laughed  it  off. 

"Embarrass  me!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  shall  be 
the  most  envied  of  the  Ambassadors;  sought  after 
by  all  the  Court  for  a  word  to  my  friend,  the  new 
Archduke — 'that  may  be  King  hereafter.'  ' 

"Don't,"  said  I;  "it's  likely  to  be  quite  bad 
enough  without  calling  on  Macbeth 's  Witches." 

He  leaned  over  and  put  his  hand  on  my  arm. 
"Brace  up,  old  chap,"  he  said;  "there's  no  boiling 
caldron  and  no  witches." 

"There  are  troubles  of  sorts  other  than  those  the 
caldron  brewed,"  I  remarked. 

We  turned  a  bend  in  the  road.  "  And  witches  of 
other  sorts  than  those  of  Fores'  Heath,"  he  laughed. 
"Behold!" 

A  hundred  yards  ahead,  rode  the  Princess  and 
Lady  Helen  Radnor. 

"Here's  your  opportunity,  Courtney,"  I  observed. 


112    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  stared  at  me. 

"  To  escort  Lady  Helen  back  to  town."  I  explained. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Don't  be  a  bear,"  said  I;  "most  men  would  be 
glad  enough  for  the  chance." 

Then  we  reined  aside  and  saluted. 

"  Will  you  join  us  ?  "  said  the  Princess. 

"We  shall  be  delighted,"  I  said  and  swung  over 
beside  her. 

"I  don't  know  what  to  do  with  Lady  Helen,"  she 
whispered  hurriedly. 

"  Courtney  will  look  after  her,"  I  volunteered. 

But  she  did  not  seem  to  hear.  "I  came  alone  to 
meet  you,"  she  went  on,  "and  overtook  her  on  the 
way." 

"  You  came  to  meet  me  ?  "    I  asked. 

She  nodded.  "I  fear  you  will  think  me  very 
forward,  but  I — well,  I  wanted  to  know  your 
decision." 

"Have  you  any  doubt  of  it  after  the  note — and 
now?" 

"  Then  you  will  accept  ?  "  she  exclaimed,  so  loudly 
I  raised  my  hand  in  warning. 

"  Yes,"  said  I.    "  I  shall  accept — are  you  glad  ?  " 

She  plucked  at  her  horse's  mane  and  glanced  at 
me  covertly;  then  she  turned  and  smiled — one  of 
those  overpowering  smiles  that  had  clung  to  me 
through  the  years. 

"Yes,  Armand,  I  am  glad.     You   are  a — dear." 

I  reined  over  closer.     "Sometime,"  I  began 


THE  DECISION  113 

She  stopped  me.  "A  dear  cousin,  I  mean,"  she 
cut  in. 

I  went  back  to  my  side  of  the  road;  but  I  took 
another  smile  with  me. 

Then  Lady  Helen  pressed  forward.  "  It  is  growing 
late,  Your  Royal  Highness.  I  shall  have  to  turn 
toward  town,"  she  said. 

I  glanced  at  Courtney  and  he  nodded  that  he 
would  ride  back  with  her.  And  the  Princess  saw  and 
understood;  and  would  not  have  it  so. 

"No,  my  dear  Helen,"  said  she,  "you  and  Mr. 
Courtney  and  Major  Dalberg  shall  dine  with  His 
Majesty  and  me  this  evening." 

"But,  Your  Highness," Lady  Helen  began. 

"But  me  no  buts,"  said  Dehra;  "it  will  be  en 
famille;  come  along." 

Courtney  gave  me  an  amused  smile  and  shook  his 
head;  but,  like  a  good  courtier,  he  made  no  protest. 
For  my  part,  I  was  very  glad  for  his  company  on  this 
particular  evening. 

We  entered  the  Park  by  a  narrow  gate  opening  on 
a  bridle  path  leading  to  one  of  the  private  doors  of 
the  Palace.  As  I  lifted  the  Princess  down,  she 
whispered: 

"  I  think  you  should  see  the  King  at  once." 

"  I  am  in  your  hands,"  I  answered. 

"The  others  would  scarcely  think  so,"  she  smiled. 

Then  I  realized  I  was  holding  her  as  tightly  as 
when  I  had  swung  her  out  of  saddle.  I  stepped  back 
with  a  quick  apology. 


114    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Oh,  they  didn't  see  it,"  she  said,  and  ran  up 
the  steps. 

I  smiled.  She,  too,  like  Lady  Helen,  had  not 
forgotten  to  look  about  her.  Women,  it  would 
seem,  are  rather  prudent  at  such  times. 

"Well,"  said  Courtney,  a  bit  later,  when  we  were 
alone,  "this  is  a  queer  go,  sure  enough.  What  did 
the  Princess  mean  by  bringing  Lady  Helen  and  me 
to  a  family  party,  and  at  such  a  time  ?  " 

"I  think  she  meant  to  be  considerate  to  you  and 
good  to  me.  She  thought,  doubtless,  we  might  be 
glad  to  be  in  together,  at  the  death,  so  to  speak." 

"She  is  very  kind,"  said  he;  "but,  why  Lady 
Helen?" 

"It  was  all  a  sudden  inspiration  and  she  had  to 
take  her  to  get  you." 

"I  suppose  the  Princess  will  explain  my  presence 
to  the  King." 

"Oh,  he  will  be  glad  to  see  you;  he  counted  on 
your  aiding  him  in  this  matter." 

"Then,  it's  well  I  didn't  fail  him — or  my  useful 
ness  as  the  American  Ambassador  would  be  ended." 

"  Surely,  he  would  not  have  held  that  against  you  ?  " 

Courtney  smiled  rather  grimly.  "Presently,  my 
dear  Major,  you  will  know  a  bit  more  of  Courts  and 
Monarchs." 

Then  the  summons  came  from  the  King.  In 
stinctively  I  held  out  my  hand  to  Courtney.  He 
gripped  it  hard. 

"  Good-bye,  old  man,  and  God  bless  you,"  he  said. 

Then  I  followed  the  flunkey. 


THE  COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

WHEN  I  entered  the  library,  Frederick  came 
forward  and  kissed  me  on  both  cheeks. 

"My  dear  Armand,"  he  said,  "I  am  pleased 
beyond  expression." 

"It's  a  pity,"  thought  I,  "kissing  isn't  an  ex 
pression." 

"  Dehra  has  told  you  ?  "    I  asked. 

He  nodded.  "But  I  felt  sure  of  you — so  sure, 
indeed,  I  have  all  these  ready  for  you."  He  picked 
up  a  roll  of  parchments.  "  Here  is  your  Patent  as  an 
Archduke  of  Valeria;  here  are  the  title  deeds  to  your 
ancestral  estates — they  have  been  held  as  Crown 
lands  since  Hugo's  time;  here  is  your  commission 
as  Colonel  of  the  Red  Huzzars;  and  here  (and  this 
may  please  you  most)  is  your  commission  as 
Lieutenant-General  in  my  Army." 

I  took  them  mechanically.  There,  were  the  seals, 
the  flowing  ribbons,  the  heavy  signature  of  the  King. 
The  sheets  rustled  and  twisted  in  my  fingers,  curling 
back  and  forth  like  things  alive.  I  saw  them  dimly 
as  though  through  a  haze;  my  senses  were  dulled 
with  sudden  wonder  and  emotion.  And,  yet,  I  had 

115 


116    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

thought  of  it  all  many  times  since  yesterday;  Court 
ney  had  predicted  for  me  some  of  these  very  honors ; 
I,  myself,  had  even  anticipated  them — indeed,  they 
had  been  the  powerful  inducement  for  my  decision. 
And,  now,  when  I  had  them  in  my  very  hands,  put 
there  by  the  King  himself,  I  was  simply  overpowered. 
To  some  scoffer  I  may  seem  sentimental  or  childish; 
and  to  him  I  say:  "wait  until  you  are  in  similar 
circumstances." 

Presently  I  got  my  senses  and,  I  trust,  thanked 
His  Majesty  in  proper  words.  But  he  would  have 
none  of  it. 

"They  are  yours  by  right  of  birth,  you  have 
simply  come  to  your  own,"  he  said. 

"  But  only  by  your  gracious  favor,"  I  protested. 

"Then,  do  me  a  small  return:  wear  the  Huzzar 
uniform  this  evening." 

I  must  have  looked  my  surprise. 

"We  are  pretty  much  of  a  size  and  I  think  mine 
will  fit  you,"  he  observed. 

"  It  is  very  little  you  ask,  Sire.'     I  answered. 

"Then  my  valet  will  squire  you,"  and  he  rang  for 
the  servant. 

And  it  was  well  he  did ;  for  I  was  not  used  to  fancy 
uniforms,  with  their  peculiar  fastenings  and  adorn 
ments,  and  I  might  have  spent  the  entire  evening  in 
solving  them.  But  Adolph  attired  me  with  astonish 
ing  celerity,  and  then,  swinging  a  cheval  glass  before 
me,  he  inquired: 

"Are  you  satisfied,  sir?" 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HTJZZARS   117 

"You  are  a  wonderful  valet,  Adolph,"  I  said, 
ignoring  the  mirror. 

I  did  not  need  it  to  know  that  I  was  clad  in 
scarlet  and  gold,  with  a  black,  fur-bound  dohl- 
man  over  one  shoulder  and  a  tall  black  busby 
on  my  head.  I  hung  the  Eagle  of  the  Cin 
cinnati  about  my  neck  and  went  back  to  the 
King. 

He  looked  me  over  critically  and  nodded.  "You'll 
do,  my  boy,"  he  said.  Then  he  raised  the  Eagle  and 
examined  it.  "It  is  a  great  Order,"  he  said;  "one  of 
the  greatest  in  the  world,  but  a  Prince  of  Valeria 
must  wear  his  country's  also,"  and  he  pinned  the 
Star  of  the  Lion  on  my  tunic.  "And  now,  come,  I 
want  to  show  you  to  your  cousin." 

At  the  door  of  the  Princess's  apartments  he  waved 
aside  the  footman  and,  himself,  announced: 

"His  Royal  Highness,  the  Grand  Duke  Armand!" 

It  was  so  unexpected  and  sounded  so  queer, 
withal,  that,  for  a  moment,  I  hesitated ;  then  I  took  a 
fresh  grip  on  my  busby  and  followed  the  King. 
The  next  instant,  I  was  bending  over  the  Princess's 
hand  and  listening  to  her  words  of  welcome  and 
congratulation.  When  I  turned  to  Lady  Helen  she 
curtsied  deeply,  even  as  she  would  have  done  for 
one  of  her  own  Princes. 

"God  save  Your  Royal  Highness,"  she  said. 

And,  as  I  raised  her  hand  and  kissed  it,  I  tried,  in 
vain,  to  read  in  her  eyes  whether  she  meant  it  or 
was  only  mocking  me. 


118    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Then,  we  went  in  to  dinner — and,  here,  was  a 
surprise  for  me,  also. 

It  was  the  same  room  we  had  breakfasted  in  the 
previous  day,  but  now,  upon  the  wall,  fronting  us  as 
we  entered,  hung  a  full-length  portrait  of  an  officer 
in  the  uniform  of  the  Red  Huzzars.  It  was  the 
Great  Henry;  but  it  could  just  as  well  have  been  my 
self.  Surely,  outwardly,  at  least,  he  was  my  alter  ego. 

Even  Courtney's  astonishment  pierced  his  heavy 
equanimity;  and  Lady  Helen  stopped  sharply  and 
gazed  at  the  painting  and,  then,  at  me,  and,  then, 
at  the  painting,  again,  in  silent  wonder.  For, 
although  they  both  knew,  generally,  of  the  resem 
blance,  it  needed  the  uniform  to  bring  it  out  in  full 
effect. 

"Your  Majesty  has  given  us  a  series  of  surprises 
to-night,"  said  Courtney. 

"It  is  surely  wonderful — almost  beyond  belief," 
said  Lady  Helen. 

"Now,  you  know  something  of  my  sensations 
when  I  first  met  him,"  said  Frederick,  "  though,  then, 
I  had  not  the  benefit  of  the  Huzzar  attire." 

"  And  you,  Princess  ?  "  asked  Lady  Helen. 

The  King  laughed  aloud;  Courtney  became 
absorbed  in  the  picture;  I  tugged  at  my  sword- 
knot — we  all  were  thinking  of  the  kiss  before  the 
Ball.  But  Dehra,  naturally,  thought  of  the  meeting 
in  the  forest  six  years  before. 

"  It  was  a  long  time  ago,  but  I  think  I  did  notice 
the  resemblance  in  a  casual  way,"  she  said. 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS   119 

The  King  stared  at  her  in  surprise;  Courtney 
smiled  slightly  and  glanced  at  me,  and  Lady  Helen's 
eyes  shot  from  Dehra  to  me  and  back  again  in  a  vain 
attempt  to  understand.  Frederick,  however,  was  on 
the  point  of  asking  an  explanation  when  the  Princess 
gave  him  a  glance,  and  he  instantly  dropped  the 
matter  and  motioned  us  to  our  seats. 

Mine  was  on  Dehra 's  right;  Courtney's  on  her 
left.  Presently,  I  heard  the  King  say  to  Lady  Helen  : 

"  Come,  confess  you  are  curious  how  the  American 
military  attache  becomes  a  Valerian  Archduke  ?  " 

And,  through  Dehra 's  talk,  I  detected  the  laughing 
answer,  pitched  high  enough  to  reach  me : 

"  'Curious'  is  quite  too  mild  a  word,  Sire." 

Then,  as  the  King  began  the  story,  she  glanced 
over  at  me  and  I  nodded  my  thanks.  It  would  have 
been  a  bit  awkward,  just  then,  if  she  had  shown 
she  already  knew  my  history.  To-morrow  it  mat 
tered  not  to  me  if  it  were  known  the  Kingdom  over; 
aye,  and  farther,  too.  But  to-morrow  was  the  future; 
to-night  was  mine.  I  was  in  favor;  a  King  across  the 
table;  a  beautiful  woman  beside  me.  What  more 
could  any  man  wish  ? 

And,  when  Dehra  whispered:  "Do  you  know, 
Armand,  you  are  very  handsome  to-night?"  I 
tossed  all  discretion  overboard  and  made  violent 
love  to  her  before  them  all.  Nor  heeded  Courtney's 
warning  looks,  nor  Lady  Helen's  curious  glances. 
It  was  Dehra,  herself,  who  brought  me  up  sharply, 


1      after  a  space. 


120    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  am  afraid,  Armand,"  said  she,  "if  you  flirt  so 
strenuously  with  me  to-night,  you  will  have  no  cards 
left  for  the  balance  of  our  game." 

"Our  game?"  I  echoed  blankly,  forgetting  for 
the  moment  the  compact  of  the  Ball. 

She  smiled.  "You  see,  you  play  it  better  than  I 
ever  can.  I  don't  even  know  enough  to  forget  it  is  a 
game." 

I  turned  and  looked  her  in  the  eyes.  "  Then,  in  all 
you  have  done  lately,  you  have  been  only  playing 
the  game  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Is  that  quite  a  fair  question  ?  "  she  answered. 

"Yes — under  the  circumstances." 

"  But  I  thought  you  called  it  a  game  ?  " 

"I  did." 

"  And,  yet,  you  ask  me  to  spread  my  cards  on  the 
table?" 

"Not  exactly;  I  ask  to  see  only  the  tricks  that 
are  turned,"  said  I. 

She  shook  her  head.  "It's  all  the  same — we 
must  play  fair." 

"  Was  it  quite  fair  to  write  me  that  note  unless  you 
were  sincere?"  I  asked. 

She  looked  me  straight.  "Tell  me,"  she  de 
manded,  "tell  me,  on  your  honor;  had  you  not 
already  made  decision  when  my  note  reached 
you?" 

I  hesitated.  "It  clinched  the  matter,"  I  said, 
lamely. 

The  Princess  smiled. 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS     121 

**And,  had  the  decision  been  otherwise,  the  note 
would  have  reversed  it,"  I  added. 

The  smile  broadened.  "But,  since  the  note  was 
in  no  way  responsible,  nor  even  persuasive,  its 
sincerity  does  not  matter,"  she  said. 

"But,  if  I  were  to  change  my  mind?"  I  re 
plied. 

She  glanced  at  my  uniform  and  at  the  gleaming 
Star  of  the  Lion. 

"They  can  be  removed,"  I  said;  "they  are  only 
borrowed." 

"No,  Your  Royal  Highness,"  said  she,  "they 
cannot  be  removed — not  in  the  way  you  mean ;  your 
word  is  passed  to  your  King." 

Your  King!  It  was  the  first  reminder  I  was  no 
longer  a  free  American,  and  it  gave  me  something  of 
a  shock.  And  Dehra  understood,  and  showed  no 
mercy. 

"  And,  as  an  Archduke  of  Valeria,  and  almost  the 
Heir  Presumptive,  you  must  know  what  it  means  to 
give  your  word  to  your  King,"  she  said. 

"  I  trust  I  know  what  it  means  to  give  my  word  to 
anyone,"  I  returned. 

"Now,  don't  get  on  your  dignity,  Armand,"  she 
laughed.  "You  understand  me  perfectly." 

I  raised  my  hands  in  protest.  "Understand  you 
perfectly ! "  I  exclaimed.  "  I  wish  I  understood  you 
even  a  little." 

"You're  not  as  nice  as  you  were  during  the  first 
part  of  the  dinner.  " 


122      COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  the  slang  Americanism  '  there 
are  others '  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  took  a  cigarette  and  lighted  it — and  passed  it 
to  me;  then  lighted  another  for  herself. 

"What  was  it  you  asked  about  that  note?" 
she  said,  and  gave  me  one  of  those  subduing 
smiles. 

I  dropped  my  hand  below  the  table  and  found  her 
fingers.  "You  meant  it,  Dehra;  truly?"  I  asked. 

She  released  her  fingers  and  placed  both  hands  on 
the  cloth.  "Of  course  I  meant  it — when  I  wrote 
it,"  she  said. 

"  That's  quite  as  much  as  I've  any  right  to  expect," 
I  answered. 

"That's  the  proper  frame  of  mind,  cousin,"  said 
she. 

*'  And  the  sort  you  prefer  in  your  admirers  ?  " 

She  raised  her  eyebrows — "  In  my  relatives — 
undoubtedly." 

"  Come,"  said  I,  "  we  must  not  quarrel." 

"It  would  be  the  regular  thing;  1  fight  with  all  my 
relatives." 

A  footman  handed  the  King  a  card,  received  a 
message,  and  withdrew. 

"Then  let  me  prove  an  exception,"  I  cut  in. 

"I  am  quite  willing;  squabbles  are  so  stupid." 

"Speaking  of  cousins;  have  you  quarrelled  with 
Lotzen?" 

"Scores  of  times;  we  are  in  the  distant  bowing 
stage  now." 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS     123 

"Good,"  said  I.  "I  trust  it  will  continue  in 
definitely." 

"  We  always  make  up  and  get  very  chummy  after 
he  has  been  absent  for  any  time,"  she  returned. 

"I  wonder  how  he  will  view  his  new  cousin?" 
I  said. 

The  Princess  laughed.  "With  considerable  sur 
prise,  I  fancy;  particularly  if  he  meet  you  in  that 
uniform  in  a  dimly-lighted  corridor  of  the  palace, 
at  night." 

"Have  the  Dalbergs  no  ghost  such  as  is  appur 
tenant  to  all  well-regulated  royal  families  ?  " 

"Alas!  We  have  not;  but  you  could  give  us  a 
fine  one." 

"Well,  I  won't,"    I  said. 

"  And  yet,  who  knows  ?  "  she  reflected  with  sudden 
seriousness;  "your  very  resemblance  to  yonder 
picture  may,  sometime,  be  of  service  to  you." 

"Then,  I  shall  not  hesitate  to  use  it." 

"  At  any  rate,  I  hope  I  shall  be  by  when  my  cousin 
of  Lotzen  gets  his  first  look  at  you." 

"  As  the  family  spectre  or  in  propria  persona  ?  " 

"As  both;  but  in  persona,  first,"  she  said. 

Just  then,  the  corridor  door  swung  back,  and  a 
voice  announced: 

"  His  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Lotzen ! " 

The  Princess  caught  her  breath,  in  surprise,  and 
glanced  quickly  at  the  King. 

"Does  His  Highness  always  grant  your  wishes  so 
promptly  ?  "  I  asked. 


124    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

But  she  did  not  hear  me.  She  was  watching 
the  Duke  as  he  advanced  to  the  King  and  bent 
knee. 

And  I,  too,  watched  him;  and  with  interest — this 
man,  with  whom  I  proposed  to  make  a  contest  for 
the  throne. 

He  had  the  grace  of  one  reared  in  Courts  and  the 
ease  of  one  born  to  high  command.  He  made  me 
feel  awkward  even  as  I  sat.  His  height  was  not 
above  the  medium,  but  his  figure  was  so  well  pro 
portioned  he  seemed  almost  my  own  size — and,  yet, 
I  knew  I  would  top  him  by  three  inches.  He  wore 
the  full  dress  uniform  of  a  Lieutenant-General  of 
Cavalry;  and,  with  his  black  hair  and  moustache  and 
well-cut  face,  he  looked,  in  every  line,  the  dashing 
beau  sabreur. 

When  he  had  greeted  the  King,  and  spoken  to 
Lady  Helen,  he  turned  and,  with  eyes  on  Dehra, 
came  toward  us.  Courtney  and  I  arose  and  stepped 
back.  The  Princess  swung  around  in  her  chair  and 
gave  him  her  hand,  but -without  a  word  of  welcome — 
and  he  spoke  none.  Then,  as  he  unbent,  his  eyes 
rested  on  me  for  the  first  time. 

I  have  never  ceased  to  admire  the  self-control 
Lotzen  showed  then.  He  gave  me  an  instant's 
glance;  flung  another  at  the  portrait  behind  me;  and, 
then,  clicking  his  heels  sharply  together,  he  raised 
his  hand  in  salute — but,  whether  to  me  or  to  the 
portrait,  I  could  not  know.  My  own  hand  went  up 
with  his  and  remained  a  moment  longer;  for  I  was 


THEN,   AS   HE  UNBENT,   HIS  EYES  RESTED  ON   ME  FOR  THE   FIRST  TIME 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS     125 

the  junior  in  actual  rank,  though  he  could  not  know 
it,  for  my  present  uniform  was  no  guide. 

"Since  no  one  has  presented  the  Colonel  of  the 
Red  Huzzars,  will  he  not  do  the  service  for  himself  ?  " 
he  said,  very  courteously. 

"I  cry  your  pardon,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the 
King;  "and  I  herewith  present,  to  the  Duke  of 
Lotzen,  his  cousin,  the  Grand  Duke  Armand." 

Lotzen  extended  his  hand  in  frank  greeting.  "  You 
are  a  Dalberg — any  one  could  see — but  whence  ?  " 

"  From  America,"  I  answered. 

He  knew  his  family  records  well.  "  Then,  you  are 
the  heir  of  Hugo,"  he  said  instantly.  "And  you 
come  in  good  time,  cousin;  there  have  been  few 
enough  Dalbergs  in  Valeria  this  generation." 

"Your  cousin  will  appreciate  your  welcome,"  said 
the  King,  before  I  could  make  reply.  Then  he 
raised  his  glass.  "I  give  you:  The  New  Archduke," 
he  said. 

I  bowed  low ;  yet,  not  so  low,  but  that  I  caught  the 
smile  Dehra  gave  me,  over  her  glass,  and  the  sharp 
glance  with  which  Lotzen  noted  it. 

"Is  he  friend  or  foe?"  I  wondered — though  the 
answer  was  evident.  Plainly,  he  was  no  fool  and, 
therefore,  why  should  he  be  my  friend  ? 

And  such  was  the  view  of  another;  for,  a  bit  later, 
as  I  swung  the  Lady  Helen  into  saddle,  she  whispered : 

"Lotzen  will  bear  watching." 

"I  shall  need  friends,"  I  answered,  slowly 
arranging  her  skirt. 


126    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Sometimes,  a  woman's  wit  is  helpful." 

"  And  I  may  count  on  yours  ?  " 

"Surely — mine,  and  another's,  too,  I  fancy,"  she 
smiled. 

Then  she  and  Courtney  rode  away — but  halted 
almost  instantly,  and  he  called  back  to  me  to  stop 
at  the  Embassy  on  the  morrow  and  sign  some 
papers. 

For,  of  course,  now,  I  could  not  live,  even  for  a 
night,  at  the  American  Legation;  and,  already,  a 
suite  had  been  prepared  for  me  in  the  Palace. 

The  four  of  us  went  to  the  King's  library;  and, 
after  a  while,  Lotzen  withdrew  on  the  plea  of  an 
official  appointment.  But  His  Majesty  and  the 
Princess  and  I  sat  until  late  in  the  night  discussing 
the  modus  vivendi  for  me.  Many  matters  were 
determined  by  them;  and,  in  all,  I  acquiesced 
instantly;  for  they  knew  what  was  proper  and  I  did 
not. 

It  was  decided  that,  for  the  present,  I  was  to  reside 
in  the  Palace.  I  did  not  care  for  a  separate  estab 
lishment  until  I  had  more  experience  in  the  dignities 
of  an  Archduke.  Neither  did  I  desire,  now,  a  full 
military  staff;  and  so  I  was  to  have  only  two  aides — 
whom  Frederick  selected  after  much  thought. 

The  senior  was  Colonel  Bernheim — who  had 
brought  the  invitation  to  the  Birthday  Ball,  and  the 
commands  of  the  Princess  to  dance  with  her  that 
night.  His  tour  of  duty  with  the  Royal  Aides  was 
about  ended,  and,  being  an  officer  of  much  experience 


COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS     127 

in  the  Court,  he  would  be  able  to  keep  me  straight, 
so  to  speak. 

The  other  aide  was  a  Major  Moore — an  Irish 
soldier  of  fortune,  who  had  been  in  the  Valerian 
Army  some  ten  years,  and,  by  his  efficiency,  had 
become  attached  to  the  General  Staff.  He  was  of 
noble  birth — the  younger  son  of  a  younger  son  of  an 
Irish  Earl — and  "  as  an  Irishman  is  more  than  half 
an  American  he  will,  doubtless,  be  congenial,"  the 
King  said. 

I  had  liked  Bernheim's  manner,  and  I  was  willing 
to  risk  an  Irishman's  faith  to  his  chief.  I  asked, 
only,  whether  either  was  an  intimate  of  the  Duke  of 
Lotzen. 

"That  is  a  perfectly  reasonable  question,"  said 
Frederick  instantly.  "I  know  that  Bernheim  has 
never  liked  the  Heir  Presumptive  and  that  Moore  is 
not  a  favorite  with  the  Prince." 

"  Then,  I  am  quite  content  with  them,"  said  I. 

"And  you  may  also  feel  content,"  said  he,  "in 
that  I  appreciate  your  position  here  and  its  diffi 
culties,  and  I  shall  stand  behind  you.  But  a  King's 
favorite,  even  though  of  the  Royal  Family,  is  rarely 
popular,  so  I  shall  obtrude  no  more  than  is  necessary 
to  show  you  have  my  good  will.  When  you  want 
more,  ask  for  it." 


XI 

THK  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT 

THE  following  morning  I  was  formally  presented 
to  the  Royal  Council  and  took  my  place  at  the 
Board,  on  the  left  of  the  King;  the  Duke  of  Lotzen 
being  on  his  right.  His  Majesty  stated  briefly  my 
descent,  the  law  of  the  case  as  laid  down  by  the 
Great  Henry,  and  that  I  had  accepted  a  restitution  of 
the  rights  and  privileges  due  to  the  eldest  male  heir 
of  Hugo. 

"  I  ask  your  consideration  for  him,  my  Lords,  the 
same  as  though  he  were  our  own  son,"  he  ended.  "  I 
will  answer  for  him — he  is  a  Dalberg." 

At  this  there  was  applause  and  the  members  of 
the  Council  pressed  forward  and  welcomed  me  as 
an  Archduke  of  the  Kingdom,  taking  my  hand  and 
bending  knee  before  me.  It  seemed  a  bit  queer,  but 
I  got  through  it  satisfactorily  to  myself — particularly 
so  since  there  was  no  kissing  in  it. 

Then  the  Council  began  its  business  and  the 
Prime  Minister,  Count  Epping,  read  a  tentative 
proposition  of  peace,  which,  he  said,  he  under 
stood  had  already  been  practically  accepted  by 
Titia. 
128 


THE  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT     129 

It  provided  that  Murdol  should  be  permitted  to 
determine  for  itself,  by  the  vote  of  its  citizens,  whether 
it  would  remain  a  province  of  Valeria  or  become, 
once  more,  a  part  of  Titia.  In  the  latter  event, 
Titia  was  to  pay  Valeria  the  value  of  all  the  public 
buildings  in  Murdol  erected  or  rebuilt  by  Valeria, 
and,  further,  to  reimburse  Valeria  for  her  war 
expenses.  But,  if  Murdol  voted  to  remain  with 
Valeria,  then,  Titia  was  to  pay  all  the  cost  of  the 
war. 

"I  need  hardly  say  to  the  Council,"  the  Prime 
Minister  remarked,  "that,  thus  far,  the  terms  are 
entirely  satisfactory  to  His  Majesty;  but  there  is 
another  detail,  suggested  by  our  friend,  the  in 
termediary,  which  is  not  so  agreeable.  It  is  only  a 
suggestion,  but,  I  fear,  has  much  to  do  with  Titia's 
acquiescence.  It  is  that  the  peace  be  further  ce 
mented  by  a  marriage  between  the  Royal  Families  of 
Valeria  and  Titia." 

Then  the  Count  sat  down,  and  all  faces  were 
turned  toward  the  King. 

Frederick  ran  his  eyes  slowly  around  the  table.  I 
did  the  like.  There  were  but  three  faces  which  did 
not  show  favor  for  the  marriage — and,  of  course, 
the  three  were  the  King's,  Lotzen's,  and  mine.  At 
least,  I  assume  mine  evidenced  my  repugnance.  I 
am  quite  sure  I  felt  it. 

"It  is  altogether  useless,  my  Lords,  for  us  to 
discuss  the  marriage  matter,"  said  Frederick. 
"  I  have  given  my  word  to  Her  Royal  Highness  that 


130    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

she  shall  not  be  coerced  in  her  choice  of  a  husband, 
and  it  shall  not  be  broken.  So  long  as  she  weds  within 
her  circle,  she  may  marry  when  and  where  and 
whom  she  will.  Save  for  that  restriction,  Valeria 
will  make  peace  with  Titia  upon  the  terms  specified. 
We  refused  the  marriage  before  the  war  began;  we 
refuse  it  now;  we  would  refuse  it  were  Casimir's 
guns  thundering  without  the  walls. " 

They  were  good  courtiers — these  men  of  the 
Council — for  they  sprang  to  their  feet  and  cheered 
enthusiastically.  And  so  the  matter  ended,  for  the 
time.  Altogether,  I  was  well  pleased  with  the  doings 
of  the  morning. 

And  so  was  Courtney,  when  I  told  him  of  it,  over  a 
whiskey  and  soda  in  his  library,  later  in  the  day. 
Possibly,  I  violated  the  proprieties  in  disclosing  the 
business  of  the  Royal  Council,  but  I  knew  Courtney 
understood  I  was  talking  to  my  friend  and  not  to 
the  Ambassador. 

"I  wish,"  said  I,  "you  would  give  me  your 
opinion  of  Lotzen. " 

Courtney  smiled.  "He  is  clever — very  clever," 
he  said. 

"Even  I  could  guess  that  after  last  evening," 
I  cut  in. 

"He  is  ambitious,  rather  unscrupulous,  and 
wholly  dangerous,"  Courtney  continued. 

"A  pleasant  sort  of  rival,"  I  commented. 

"And,  finally,  he  is  infatuated  with  the  Princess 
Royal." 


THE  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT     131 

"  That  may  be  a  fatal  weakness,"  said  I. 

"  Truly,  you  seem  to  have  gained  wisdom  over 
night — Your  Highness,"  said  he. 

"And  shall  need  many  nights  and  much,  very 
much,  wisdom,  I  fear." 

He  nodded.  "That  you  will — particularly,  if 
you  make  a  confidant  of  women." 

I  frowned. 

"Don't  imagine  Lady  Helen  told  me,"  Courtney 
explained.  "I  chanced  to  notice  her  greeting,  last 
night,  to  the  Colonel  of  the  Red  Huzzars." 

"You  are  too  observant,"  said  I. 

"  A  bit  more  so,  at  that  moment,  than  the  Princess, 
I  think." 

"  I  trust  so,"  said  I. 

"  You  made  some  rather  fast  going  last  night,  my 
friend,"  he  observed.  "Now,  it's  none  of  my 
affair — only — isn't  it  a  bit  early  for  top  speed  ?  " 

"That  is  exactly  what  the  Princess  suggested," 
said  I. 

He  burst  into  an  amused  laugh.  "Go  it,  my 
boy!"  he  exclaimed,  "you  are  doing  delightfully — 
and  so  is  the  Princess." 

"Particularly  the  Princess,"  I  said. 

He  nodded. 

"And  it's  more  than  likely  I  am  riding  for  a 
fall." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  It's  a  fast  race  over 
a  strange  course — and  they  will  ride  you  down  if 
they  can." 


132    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  know  it,"  said  I,  "but  I  fancy  I  shall  rather 
enjoy  the  excitement — and  Bernheim  and  Moore 
can  be  depended  on,  I  think." 

"  Undoubtedly — you  may  be  sure  the  King  chose 
them  advisedly.  Consult  them  in  everything — but, 
on  particular  occasions,  consult " 

"I'll  come  to  you,"  I  filled  in. 

"And  you  may  always  count  on  my  aid — but, 
I  was  about  to  say,  upon  particular  occasions  con 
sult  the  Princess. " 

"Good,"  said  I.  "I  shall  riot  in  particular 
occasions." 

"  P.  V."  he  amended. 

"  Oh !    I'm  her  cousin,"  I  laughed. 

"And  so  is  Lotzen." 

"Damn  Lotzen,"  said  I,  heartily. 

"That's  well  enough  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  it's 
the  King's  damn  you  want." 

"  I  fear  he  does  not  swear  in  English,*'  said  I. 

"Then,  it's  up  to  you  to  teach  him — and  the 
quickest  method  is  to  win  the  Princess.  Marry  her 
and  you  get  the  Crown  for  a  bridal  present. " 

"It  may  be  the  surest  method;  I  doubt  if  it's  the 
quickest,"  said  I. 

"  Well,  of  course,  my  dear  fellow,"  he  said  banter- 
ingly,  "you  know  the  lady  better  than  I  do." 

"  I  doubt  it,"  said  I,  "  for  I  think  I  don't  know  her 
even  a  little  bit." 

"Good — you  are  gathering  wisdom  rapidly;  in 
deed,  you  are  growing  almost  over-wise." 


THE  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT      133 

"  I  have  often  wondered  how  you  got  your  amazing 
knowledge  of  women,"  I  observed. 

He  lit  a  cigarette  and  sent  a  cloud  of  smoke 
between  us.  "It  was  born  in  me,  I  think.  At  any 
rate,  I've  proved  it — by  letting  them  alone.  Yet," 
he  went  on  musingly,  "were  I  a  Royal  Duke  and 
cousin  to  the  Princess  of  Valeria,  I  am  not  so  sure — 
no,  I  am  not  so  sure." 

I  looked  at  him  a  bit  curiously.  Surely,  it  could 
not  be  that  Courtney — the  indifferent — the  blase — 
envied  me;  that  he  would  care  to  be  other  than  he 
was;  or  that  even  a  beautiful  woman  could  stir  his 
blood.  Then  the  cloud  began  to  thin  out,  and  he 
must  have  noticed  my  surprise,  for  he  laughed  and 
waved  his  hand  before  his  face. 

"I'm  like  the  fellow  in  the  song,"  said  he,  "I've 
been  '  seeing  pictures  in  the  smoke. '  : 

"  And  you  liked  the  pictures  ?  "    I  asked. 

"Very  much,  my  boy,  very  much  indeed — in 
smoke." 

"  Someone  else  is  improving,  also,"  said  I.  "Time 
was  when  you  could  not  have  seen  such  pictures.' 

He  shook  his  head.  "It's  only  a  sign  of  age.  I'm 
becoming  a  dreamer;  soon  you  will  find  me  sitting  in 
the  sun." 

"  You  need  a  wife,  Courtney,"  I  exclaimed. 

He  laughed.  "  No — I  need  a  drink,  a  good  stiff 
drink.  I'm  getting  old,  and  lonely  for  the  tried 
friends  I've  lost;  you  are  the  last  deserter." 

"Nonsense,"  I  began. 


134    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"No,  it's  true  as  gospel,"  he  went  on.  "Our 
paths  separated  forever  at  the  Palace,  last  night. 
You  are  a  Royal  Highness  and  the  possible  heir  to  the 
Throne.  And  I  am  an  elderly  American  diplomat — 
here,  to-day;  gone  to-morrow." 

"You  need  several  good  stiff  drinks,"  I  inter 
rupted. 

He  waved  aside  my  banter.  "I  give  you  a  toast," 
he  went  on,  pouring  a  measure  for  each  of  us.  "  The 
Princess  Dehra— and  another  like  her." 

"  And  may  you  find  that  other,"  I  cried. 

Then  we  drained  our  glasses  and  flung  them  into 
the  grate. 

I  was  tremendously  astonished  at  this  revelation  of 
Courtney's  feelings — feelings  which  I  had  never 
even  suspected.  And,  I  fear,  I  had  the  bad  taste  to 
stare  at  him.  For  he  turned  abruptly  and  walked  to 
the  window,  and  stood,  for  a  moment,  with  his  back 
to  me.  I  drew  on  my  gloves  and  hitched  up  my 
sword  (I  was  wearing  the  undress  of  a  general 
officer)  and  waited. 

"  Of  course,  you  understood,  last  night,  that  there 
were  no  papers  for  you  to  sign,"  he  said,  as  he  came 
slowly  back  to  the  table. 

"Surely,"  I  laughed. 

"What  I  wanted  was  the  opportunity  to  tell  you 
that  our  secret  service  will  be  at  your  command,  and 
that  I  have  given  instructions  to  report  to  me  any 
thing  that  may  be  of  use  to  you — particularly, 
touching  Lotzen  and  his  intimates." 


THE  FATALITY  OF  MOONLIGHT     135 

"You  are  more  than  good,  old  chap,"  I  said,  and 
\ve  shook  hands  hard — for  the  toast  was  still  in 
mind. 

"Present  my  compliments  to  Her  Highness,"  he 
called  after  me. 

I  went  back  to  the  doorway.  "And  give  mine  to 
The  Other  Like  Her,  when  she  comes,"  I  said. 

"She  will  never  come,  Armand;  she  will  never 
come.  I  am  just  an  old  fool."  Then  he  laughed. 
"  Your  love-making  at  dinner  tables  didn't  use  to 
affect  me." 

"You  never  followed  any  of  them  by  a  moon 
light  ride  with  a  pretty  girl,"  I  answered. 

"At  least,  never  with  one  as  pretty  as  Lady 
Helen,"  he  amended. 

I  was  getting  surprises  with  a  vengeance. 

"Is  it  possible  you  have  just  discovered  she  is 
pretty  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

He  smiled  frankly.  "No — but  it  may  be  I've 
just  discovered  how  pretty." 

"And  she's  more  than  pretty,"  said  I,  "she's 
thoroughbred. " 

He  studied  me  for  a  moment.  "I  have  often 
wondered — and  now  I  wonder  more  than  ever — 
why  you — why  you  never You  understand." 

I  nodded.  "Yes,"  said  I,  "I  understand  and  I 
rather  reckon  I  would,  if  it  had  not  been  that,  a 
year  before  I  ever  saw  the  Lady  Helen,  I  had  ridden 
with  the  Princess  Dehra,  alone,  in  the  Palace  forest, 
for  an  hour." 


136    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZABS 

At  last,  I  saw  Courtney's  cold  face  show  genuine 
surprise. 

"And  you  made  no  effort  then  to  prove  your 
cousinship  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"No,"  said  I. 

"You  let  her  go;  and — and  you  a  Dalberg  and  a 
soldier!  You  don't  deserve  her — she  ought  to  go  to 
Lotzen — to  Casimir — to  any  one  but  you.  Why, 
you  drivelling  idiot,  do  you  realize  that,  but  for 
the  chance  of  my  having  lugged — yes,  that's  the 
word,  lugged  you  here  you  would  now  be  doing 
childish  problems  in  cement  and  stone  in  some  mis 
erable  little  Army  department  headquarters  over  in 
America  ?  " 

It  was  delicious  to  see  Courtney  roused,  once  in  his 
life.  Choking  back  my  laugh,  I  answered: 

"  You  have  not  put  it  half  strongly  enough.  You 
may  be  a  fool,  as  you  say — there's  no  doubt  that  I've 
been  a  colossal  one." 

"You  ought  to  be  in  an  asylum  for  weak-minded 
instead  of  in  that  uniform,"  he  ejaculated. 

"  But,  thanks  to  you,  I'm  in  the  uniform  and  not  in 
the  asylum,"  I  answered. 

"Pray  God  you  have  sense  enough,  now,  to  keep 
in  the  one  and  out  of  the  other,"  he  retorted. 

"  Amen,  Courtney,  old  man,"  said  I,  "  Amen ! " 

Then  I  sprang  away  and  into  saddle — waving  my 
hand  to  him  as  he  came  hastily  to  the  door  to 
stay  me. 


XII 

LEARNING  MY  TRADE 

THE  next  month  was  the  busiest  of  nay  life — not 
excepting  those  at  the  Point.  I  was  learning  to  be 
Royal,  and  I  was  starting  a  generation  and  a  half 
behind  time.  My  hardest  task  was  in  meeting  the 
Nobility.  I  had  been  bred  a  soldier  and  had  de 
spised  the  politician — secretly,  however,  as  is 
necessary  for  the  Army  officer  in  America;  but  no 
rural  candidate  at  a  Fall  election  ever  worked  harder 
to  ingratiate  himself  with  the  people  and  to  secure 
their  votes,  than  did  I  to  win  favor  with  the  Lords 
and  high  officers  of  State.  And,  with  it  all,  I  could 
feel  no  assurance  of  success — for  they  were  courtiers, 
and  I  had  not  yet  learned  to  read  behind  their 
masks;  though,  here,  Bernheim  was  invaluable. 
Indeed,  he  was  a  wonder.  I  have  yet  to  find  him 
miss  his  guess. 

There  were  constant  Cabinet  meetings  to  attend, 
at  which  my  views  were  expected;  and  this  entailed 
a  study  of  conditions  and  policies  absolutely  new  to 
me.  Then,  I  was  delegated  frequently  by  the  King 
to  represent  him  on  occasions  of  ceremony;  and,  for 
them,  I  needed  careful  coaching.  In  fact,  there  were 

137 


138    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

a  thousand  matters  which  occupied  me  to  exhaustion. 
And,  through  it  all,  I  was  trying  to  get  familiar  with 
the  organization  and  administration  and  methods  of 
the  Valerian  Army,  so  as  to  be  fitted  to  discharge  the 
duties  of  my  high  rank.  I  confess  this  was  my  most 
congenial  labor.  If  I  might  have  been  simply  a 
soldier  Archduke,  I  think  I  would  have  been  entirely 
satisfied. 

After  a  few  weeks  I  had  taken  up  my  residence  in 
the  Epsau  Palace — one  of  my  recent  inheritances — 
and  there  maintained  my  own  Archducal  Court. 
It  was  a  bit  hard  for  me  to  take  myself  seriously 
and  to  accept  calmly  the  obsequious  deference 
accorded  me  by  everyone.  I  fear  I  smiled  many 
times  when  I  should  have  looked  royally  indif 
ferent;  and  was  royally  indifferent  when  I  should 
have  smiled.  I  know  there  were  scores  of  instances 
when  I  felt  like  kicking  some  of  the  infernally 
omnipresent  flunkeys  down  the  stairs.  But  I  did 
not;  for  I  knew  that  the  poor  devils  were  doing 
only  their  particular  duty  in  the  manner  particularly 
proper. 

Yet,  there  were  compensations,  so  many  and  so 
satisfying,  I  never,  for  a  moment,  considered  a  return 
to  my  former  estate.  I  was — I  admit  it — enamored 
of  my  rank  and  power;  and,  it  may  be,  even  of  that 
very  obsequiousness  and  flattery  which  I  thought  I 
despised.  I  know  there  was  a  supreme  satisfaction 
when  I  passed  through  the  saluting  crowds  in  the 
Alta  Avenue.  It  became  almost  elation  when  I  rode 


LEARNING  MY  TRADE  139 

upon  the  parade  ground  to  take  the  Review  and  the 
March  By. 

During  this  month,  I  had  seen  the  Duke  of 
Lotzen  very  frequently.  I  had  sat  beside  him 
at  the  Council  table;  I  had  dined  with  him  for 
mally  as  the  new  Archduke,  and  informally  as 
his  cousin.  And,  on  my  part,  I  had  repaid  his 
courtesies  in  kind.  He  had  been  thoughtful  and 
considerate  to  me  to  an  exceptional  degree,  but, 
at  the  same  'time,  without  undue  effusiveness. 
In  a  word,  he  had  treated  me  with  every  pos 
sible  attention  our  rank  and  consanguinity  de 
manded. 

Even  Courtney  could  find  nothing  to  criticise  in 
Lotzen 's  behavior;  nor  had  his  secret  agents  been  able 
to  detect  anything  sub  rosa. 

"  However,  all  this  proves  nothing  one  way  or  the 
other,"  he  remarked  one  day,  as  we  sat  in  my  inner 
library.  "  If  he  intend  the  worst  sort  of  harm  to  you 
he  would  begin  just  as  he  has." 

I  nodded. 

"I  suppose  His  Majesty  knows  of  Lotzen's 
courtesies  to  you  ?  " 

"And  is  immensely  gratified.  Bernheim  tells  me 
the  Duke  never  was  in  higher  favor  than  at  this 
moment,"  I  answered. 

"Exactly — and,  therefore,  the  less  likely  a  change 
in  the  Law  of  Succession.  He  uses  you  to  play 
against  you." 

"And    I    am    helpless    to    prevent    it,"   said    L 


140    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  I  may  not  refuse  his  civilities  nor  appear  to  ques 
tion  their  intent." 

"Heaven  forfend!"  Courtney  exclaimed,  with 
lifted  hands.  "Your  counter  attack  is  at  the  King, 
too.  Keep  him  interested  in  you." 

"  I  have,  I  think.  I  am  the  new  Military  Governor 
of  Dornlitz." 

"Wonderful,  Major! — Your  Royal  Highness,  I 
mean." 

"  Drop  the  R.  H.,  please,"  I  said ;  "  stick  to  Armand 
or  Major." 

"Thank  you,  I  shall,  in  private;  it's  handier. 
And  when  were  you  appointed  ?  " 

"It  will  be  in  the  Gazette  this  evening.  His 
Majesty  offered  it  to  me  this  morning." 

"  Does  Lotzen  know  it  ?  " 

"I  think  not;  it  was  due  to  a  sudden  shifting  of 
Corps  Commanders  made  yesterday. " 

"  I  would  like  a  view  of  the  Duke's  private  counte 
nance  when  he  hears  it  first,"  Courtney  laughed. 
"It's  the  most  desirable  post  in  the  Army;  even 
preferable  to  Chief  of  Staff.  It  makes  you  master  in 
the  Capital  and  its  Military  District,  a  temporary 
Field  Marshal,  and  answerable  to  none  but  the 
King  himself." 

"It's  just  that  which  makes  me  question  the 
expediency  of  my  accepting  the  detail,"  said  I. 
"  It's  a  post  to  reward  long  service  and  sol 
dierly  merit.  I  have  not  the  former  and  have 
had  no  chance  to  prove  the  latter.  I  fear  it  will 


LEARNING  MY  TRADE  141 

be  bad   for  discipline    and    worse    for    my    popu 
larity." 

Courtney  laughed.  "That  might  be  true  of  the 
American  Army — it's  nonsense  in  a  Monarchy. 
You  forget  you  are  of  the  Blood  Royal — an  Arch 
duke — of  mature  years — with  some  experience  in 
actual  war — and,  for  all  the  Army  and  Court  know, 
in  line  for  the  Crown.  You  are,  therefore,  born  to 
command.  There  can  be  no  jealousies  against  you. 
On  the  contrary,  it  will  bring  you  followers.  None 
but  Lotzen  and  his  circle  will  resent  it,  and  they, 
already,  are  your  enemies.  The  Governorship  will 
make  them  no  more  so.  Instead,  it  will  keep  them 
careful;  for  it  will  give  you  immense  power  to  detect 
and  foil  their  plots." 

"Plots!"  I  exclaimed.  "Do  you  fancy  Lotzen 
would  resort  to  murder?  " 

"Not  at  present — not  until  everything  else  has 
failed." 

"You  seem  very  sure,"  I  remarked. 

"Precisely  that.  You  don't  seem  to  realize  that 
you  have  likely  both  lost  him  his  desired  wife  and 
jeopardized  his  succession  to  the  Throne.  He  might 
submit  to  losing  the  Princess,  but  the  Crown,  never. 
He  will  eliminate  you,  by  soft  methods  if  he  can, 
by  violent  ones,  if  need  be.  Believe  me,  Major,  I 
know  the  ways  of  Courts  a  little  better  than  you." 

I  took  a  turn  up  and  down  the  room.  "I  don't 
know  that  Lotzen  isn't  justified  in  using  every  means 
to  defeat  me.  I  am  a  robber — a  highwayman,  if  you 


142     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

please.  I  am,  this  instant,  holding  him  up  and  trying 
to  deprive  him  of  his  dearest  inheritance.  And  I'm 
doing  it  with  calm  deliberation,  while,  ostensibly. 
I'm  his  friend.  If  I  attempt  to  steal  his  watch  he 
would  be  justified  in  shooting  me  on  the  spot — why 
shouldn't  he  do  the  same  when  I  try  to  filch  from  him 
the  Valerian  Crown  ?  " 

"  No  reason  in  the  world,  my  dear  Major,  except 
that  to  steal  a  watch  is  a  vulgar  crime — but  to  plot 
for  a  throne  is  the  privilege  of  Princes.  And  Princea 
do  not  shoot  their  rivals." 

"  With  their  own  hands,"  I  added. 

Courtney  bowed  low.  "Your  Highness  has  it 
exactly,"  he  said. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.    "You  flatter  me." 

"  I  speak  only  in  general  terms ;  they  do  not  apply 
to  you,  my  dear  Major.  You  are  not  plotting  to 
dethrone  a  King;  you  are  simply  trying,  frankly  and 
openly,  to  recover  what  is  yours  by  birthright. 
Lotzen's  real  claim  to  the  Crown  is,  in  justice, 
subordinate  to  yours — and  he  knows  it — and  so  does 
the  King,  or  he  would  not  have  put  you  on  probation, 
so  to  speak,  with  the  implied  promise  to  give  you 
back  your  own  again,  if  you  prove  worthy." 

"That's  one  way  to  look  at  it,"  said  I,  "and  I 
reckon  I  shall  have  to  accept  it.  In  fact,  I'm  re 
mitted  to  it  or  to  chucking  the  whole  thing  over 
board." 

Courtney  smiled  approvingly.  "  That's  the  reason 
able  point  of  view.  Now,  stick  to  it,  and  give  Lotzen 


LEARNING  MY  TRADE  143 

no  quarter — you  may  be  sure  he  will  give  you  none." 

"I  shall  countenance  no  violence,"  I  insisted. 

"One  is  permitted  to  repel  force  by  force." 

"I  shall  not  hesitate  to  do  that,  you  may  be 
sure." 

"Good!"  said  he.  "Now  we  understand  the 
situation  and  each  other;  and  I  can  assist  you  more 
effectively." 

"I  shall  advise  you  the  moment  anything  new 
develops,"  said  I. 

"And  remember,  Major,  to  either  you  or  Lotzen 
the  Princess  means  the  Crown.  Frederick  will  be 
only  too  glad  to  pass  it  so  to  his  own  descendants." 

"That's  the  truth,"  said  I.  "But  I  reckon  the 
Princess  doesn't  need  the  Crown  to  get  Lotzen  or 
me." 

"  Do  you  realize  how  lucky  it  is,  under  the  circum 
stances,  that  you  are  unmarried?"  Courtney 
inquired. 

"  Rather— only,  if  I  had  chanced  to  be  married,  I 
would  still  be  your  Military  Attache.  Frederick 
would  never  have  given  me  the  chance  to  be  an 
Archduke." 

"  At  least,  it's  sure  he  would  never  have  given  you 
a  chance  to  be  a  King." 

"And  the  American  newspapers  would  have 
missed  a  great  news  item,"  I  added. 

"I  never  quite  appreciated  what  a  wonder  you 
were  until  they  told  me,"  he  laughed.  "You  seem 
to  possess  a  marvellous  assortment  of  talents — and, 


144    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

as  for  bravery,  they  have  had  you  leading  every 
charge  in  the  Spanish  War." 

"It's  all  very  tiresome,"  I  said. 

"  It's  one  of  the  penalties  of  Royalty — to  be  always 
in  the  limelight  and  never  in  the  shadow,"  he  re 
turned.  "  How  does  it  feel  ?  " 

"Come  around  to-night  to"  the  Royal  Box  at 
the  Opera  and  get  into  the  glare,  a  bit,"  I  said. 
"  I  am  to  take  the  King's  place  and  escort  the 
Princess." 

"  Is  that  a  command  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Hang  it  all,  Courtney "    I  exclaimed. 

" Because,  if  it  isn't,"  he  went  on,  "I  shall  have  to 
decline.  I'm  dining  with  the  Radnors  and  going  on 
to  the  Opera  with  them." 

I  looked  at  him  expectantly  for  a  moment,  giving 
him  an  opening  to  mention  Lady  Helen ;  but  he  only 
smiled  and  lit  another  cigarette.  I  understood  he 
declined  the  opening.  Indeed,  he  had  never  referred 
to  Lady  Helen  since  that  first  surprising  time.  But, 
if  the  gossip  of  the  Diplomatic  set,  which,  of 
course,  reached  the  Court  promptly,  were  at  all 
reliable,  another  International  marriage  was  not 
improbable.  I  admit  I  was  a  bit  curious  as  to  the 
matter — and  here  I  saw  my  opportunity. 

"If  you  will  permit,"  said  I,  "I'll  send  an  Aide  to 
invite  the  Radnors  and  you  to  the  Royal  Box  during 
the  last  act,  and  then,  later,  to  be  my  guests  at 
supper  on  the  Hanging  Garden." 

"You're  very  kind,  old  man,"  said  he;  "and  as  for 


LEARNING  MY  TRADE  145 

old  Radnor  you  will  endanger  his  life — he  will  just 
about  explode  with  importance." 

"I  trust  not,"  said  I;  "I  like  Lord  Radnor — and 
then  explosions  are  disconcerting  at  the  Opera  or  a 
supper." 

I  had  good  reason,  later,  to  remember  this  banter — 
for  there  was  an  explosion  at  the  supper  that  night 
that  was  more  than  disconcerting;  but  Lord  Radnor 
was  in  no  way  responsible." 


XIII 
IN  THE  ROYAL  Box 

WHEN  the  Princess  and  I  entered  the  Royal  Box 
that  night  the  applause  was  instant  and  enthusiastic. 
I  kept  a  bit  in  the  rear;  the  greeting  was  for  her. 
And  she  smiled  that  conquering  smile  of  hers  that 
went  straight  to  every  individual  in  the  audience  as  a 
personal  acknowledgment.  I  had  seen  it  frequently 
in  the  past  month;  yet,  every  time,  to  marvel  only  the 
more.  Small  wonder,  indeed,  that  she  was  the  toast 
of  the  Nation  and  the  pride  of  the  King.  A  million 
pities  the  Salic  Law  barred  her  from  the  succession. 
What  a  Queen  Regnant  she  would  make!  Aye, 
what  a  Queen  Consort  she  would  be!  What  a 
wife! 

Then  the  last  high  note  of  the  National  Air  blared 
out  and  the  Princess,  turning  quickly,  caught  my 
look  and  straightway  read  my  thoughts.  A  sudden 
flush  swept  over  her  face  and  neck  and  she  dropped 
her  eyes.  Silently  I  placed  a  chair  for  her;  as  she 
took  it,  her  bare  arm  rested  against  my  hand  The 
effect  on  me,  in  the  stress  of  my  feelings  at  that 
moment,  is  indescribable.  I  know  I  gasped — and  my 
throat  got  hot  and  my  heart  pounded  in  sharp  pain. 
146 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  147 

But  I  did  not  withdraw  my  hand — nor  did  the 
Princess  remove  her  arm.  Its  soft,  warm  flesh 
pressed  against  my  fingers — the  perfume  of  her  hair 
enveloped  my  face — the  beat  of  her  bosom  was  just 
below  me. 

A  fierce  impulse  seized  me  to  take  her  in  my  arms — 
there,  before  them  all,  the  Court  and  the  Capital. 
Reason  told  me  to  step  back.  Yet  I  could  not. 
Instead,  I  gripped  the  chair  fiercely,  and,  by  that 
very  act,  pushed  my  fingers  only  more  closely 
against  her. 

Was  I  dreaming — or  did  I  feel  an  answering 
pressure,  not  once  but  twice  repeated.  I  was  sure  of 
it.  I  bent  forward.  Quickly  she  looked  up  at  me 
with  eyes  half  closed. 

"How  cold  your  hand  is,  Armand,"  she  said. 

"  Does  it  chill  you,  dear  ?  "    I  whispered. 

She  smiled.  "It  never  could  do  that,"  she 
answered.  "  But  won't  you  sit  beside  me,  now  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  suppose  so,"  I  said  reluctantly.  "Only, 
I'm  nearer  you  as  I  am." 

Then  I  took  my  chair,  drawing  it  a  trifle  in  the 
rear,  so,  being  obliged  to  lean  forward,  I  would  be 
closer  to  her  and  could  speak  softly  in  her  ear. 

"You're  very  bold,  Armand;  you  are  always  doing 
things  so  publicly,"  she  said. 

"  It  was  an  accident — at  first." 

"And  afterward,  sir?" 

"Afterward,  I  was  powerless." 

"  My  arm  would  not  believe  you. " 


148    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Powerless  to  remove  my  hand,  I  mean." 

"  Powerlessness,  with  you,  has  queer  manifesta 
tions,"  she  said. 

"Yes — sometimes  it's  passive  and  sometimes 
active." 

"It  was  active,  I  suppose,  that  day  in  the  King's 
cabinet,  when  you  gave  me  that  cousinly  kiss." 

"  If  we  were  not  so  public  I  would " 

She  looked  at  me  with  the  most  daring  invitation. 
"It  is  because  we  are  so  public  that  you  are  per 
mitted  to  sit  so  near." 

"Then,  why  blame  me  if  I  take  the  only  oppor 
tunities  you  give  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  half  closed  her  eyes  and  looked  at  me,  side 
long,  through  her  lashes. 

"  Have  I  ever  blamed  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Dehra,"  said  I,  "  if  you  look  at  me  like  that  I 
shall  kiss  you  now." 

She  closed  her  eyes  a  trifle  more.  "Where, 
Armand?"  she  said.  "You  have  been  kissing  my 
hair  every  time  I  let  it  touch  your  lips." 

"  Let  it  touch  them  again,  then,"  I  whispered. 

She  turned  her  head  sharply  from  me  and,  then, 
slowly  back  again;  and  her  perfumed  tresses,  dressed 
low  on  her  neck,  brushed  full  and  hard  across  my 
face,  from  cheek  to  cheek. 

"  There,  cousin,"  said  she;  "  am  I  not  good  ?  " 

"Not  entirely,  when  you  call  me  'cousin,'"  I  said, 
looking  her  in  the  eyes. 

"Your  Highness,  then,"  she  smiled. 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  149 

"Worse  still." 

"Marshal." 

"No  better." 

"Marshal  would  please  most  men,"  she  said. 

"  There  is  only  one  name  from  you  will  please  me, 
now,"  I  answered. 

She  quite  closed  her  eyes.  "You  are  an  autocrat 
to-night,  Armand,"  she  murmured. 

"I'm  your  lover,  sweetheart;  your  lover  to-night 
and  always,"  I  said  impetuously. 

She  opened  her  eyes  wide  and  looked  into  mine 
with  that  calm,  deep  search  which  only  a  good 
woman  has  power  to  use.  I  knew,  and  trembling 
waited.  What  she  saw  in  my  eyes  then  she  would  see 
there  always — in  storm,  in  sunshine — in  youth  and  in 
old  age. 

Then,  suddenly,  her  glance  dropped  and  a  blush 
stole  slowly  across  her  cheek. 

"To  me,  dearest,"  she  said  softly,  "you  have  been 
a  lover  since  that  day  in  the  forest  when  you  were  only 
Captain  Smith." 

I  bowed  my  head.  "You  Princess  of  women,"  I 
said.  "How  near  I  was  to  losing  you." 

She  turned  and  deliberately  let  her  hair  rest  on  my 
face  a  moment. 

"There,  dear,"  said  she,  "is  my  first  kiss  to  you. 
I  shall  have  to  wait  a  bit  for  yours  to  me." 

"  And  you  really  want  my  kiss,  Dehra  ?  "  I  asked 
doubtingly.  Small  wonder,  indeed,  I  was  slow  to 
realize  my  fortune. 


150    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"You  great  stupid,"  she  laughed.  "Can't  you 
understand  I  have  wanted  it  for  six  long  years  ?  " 

"I  think,"  said  I,  "I'm  dreaming." 

"For  a  dreamer,  you're  wonderfully  brave,"  she 
said.  "Do  you  appreciate  that  you  had  the 
audacity  to  propose  to  the  Princess  Royal  of  Valeria 
while  she  sat  in  the  Royal  Box  before  all  the  fashion 
of  Dornlitz  ?  " 

"My  dear,"  said  I,  "I  would  propose  to  her  a 
dozen  times  under  like  conditions  if  I  thought,  at  the 
end,  she  would  do  as  she  has  done  to-night." 

"  If  she  had  known  that,  she  might  have  put  you 
to  the  test." 

"  It  would  have  made  her  wait  only  the  longer  for 
that  kiss  she  wants,"  I  said. 

"Oh,  I  fancy,  sir,  she  could  have  had  your  kiss 
without  accepting  you.  She  needed  only  to  give 
you  half  a  chance." 

"I  think,"  said  I,  "even  less  than  half  a  chance 
from  you,  dear,  would  have  been  successful." 

She  studied  her  fan  a  moment.  "  From  me, 
only  ?  "  she  asked. 

"From  you,  only,"  I  said.  "It  would  require 
a  trifle  more  than  half  a  chance  from  anyone 
else." 

"  Even  from  the  Lady  Helen  Radnor  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  watched  her  face  a  moment.  There  was,  I  felt, 
only  one  way  to  play  this  out. 

"Well,"  I  answered,  "it  might  be  that  an  even 
half  chance  would  suffice  from  her." 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  151 

"It  took  rather  less  than  that  at  the  Birthday 
Ball,  didn't  it  ?  " 

I  had  the  grace  to  keep  silent — or,  maybe,  I  was 
too  surprised  to  know  an  answer.  I  did  not  have  the 
courage  to  meet  her  eyes.  I  stared  into  the  audience, 
seeing  no  one,  thinking  much — hoping  she  would 
speak;  but  she  did  not. 

Presently  I  turned,  looking  like  a  whipped  child,  I 
know,  and  met  Dehra's  smiling  face. 

"Tie  my  slipper,  dear,"  she  said,  "the  ribbon  has 
come  undone." 

"  You  sweetheart ! "    I  said.    "  You  sweetheart ! " 

She  drew  her  gown  back  from  the  footstool,  and 
I  slowly  tightened  the  silken  bands  over  the  high- 
arched  instep — very  slowly,  I  confess. 

"  You're  very  naughty,  Armand,"  she  said,  shaking 
her  head  in  mock  reproof. 

"  Doesn't  the  other  shoe  need  fastening  ?  "    I  asked. 

"  No,  sir — and,  if  it  did,  I  would  have  the  Countess 
tie  it." 

"Bother  the  Countess,"  I  said.  (The  Countess 
Giska  was  the  Princess's  chief  Lady  in  Waiting — 
and  she  and  my  aide-de-camp,  Moore,  were  in  the 
rear  of  the  Box,  which,  fortunately,  was  sufficiently 
deep  to  put  them  out  of  ear-shot.) 

"Or,  I  might  ask  Major  Moore.  I  think  he 
would  be  glad  to  do  it,"  she  said. 

"  He  would  be  a  most  extraordinary  Irishman  if  he 
were  not  more  than  glad,"  I  said.  "But,  when  I'm 
around,  Dehra,  the  pleasure  is  mine  alone." 


152    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Goodness,  Armand,  you  would  not  be  jealous  ?  ** 
she  mocked. 

"  I  don't  know  what  it's  called,"  said  I,  "  but  that's 
it." 

"  Haven't  you  ever  been  jealous,  dear  ?  "  she  asked. 

"I  never  cared  enough  for  a  girl  to  be  jealous," 
I  said. 

"I  fancy  you've  cared  for  so  many  you  had  no 
time  to  entertain  the  Green-eyed  Monster,"  she 
said. 

I  evaded  the  thrust.  "  Has  he  ever  visited  you  ?  " 
I  asked. 

She  ignored  the  question. 

"Isn't  Lady  Helen  beautiful  to-night?"  she 
said — and  smiled  a  greeting  toward  the  British 
Ambassador's  Box. 

Instantly,  Lord  Radnor  and  Courtney  arose 
and  bowed  low.  I  returned  the  salute  in  kind. 

"Tell  me,"  I  said.    "Were  you  ever  jealous?" 

She  kept  her  eyes  on  the  stage.  Carmen  was  the 
opera,  but,  thus  far,  I  had  not  heard  a  single  note. 

"I  am  waiting  for  you  to  answer  my  question," 
she  said,  presently. 

"  I  fear  I  missed  it,"  I  replied. 

"Queer,  surely — it  was  about  Lady  Helen.  I 
asked  if  she  were  not  beautiful  to-night." 

"  She  is  always  very  handsome,"  I  said.  "  And  she 
looks  particularly  well  in  blue." 

Dehra  smiled  slyly.  "It's  the  same  gown  she 
wore  at  the  Birthday  Ball." 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  153 

I  bit  my  lip — then,  suddenly,  I  got  very  brave. 

"Tell  me,"  I  said.  "How  did  you  know  I  kissed 
her,  that  night?" 

"I  saw  it." 

"The  Dev — !  Oh!"  I  exclaimed.  I  was  brave 
no  longer.  I  got  interested  in  the  opera.  Presently, 
I  ventured  to  glance  at  Dehra — she  was  laughing 
behind  her  fan.  Then  I  ventured  again. 

"  I  hope,"  said  I,  "  I  did  it  nicely." 

"Most  artistically,  my  dear  Armand.  Escamillo, 
yonder,  could  not  do  it  more  cleverly." 

I  winced.  It  is  not  especially  flattering  to  an 
Archduke  to  be  classed  with  a  toreador — and 
Carmen's  toreador,  least  of  all.  Yet,  I  recognized 
the  justice  of  the  punishment.  Bravery  had  failed 
twice;  it  was  time  to  be  humble. 

"I  am  sorry,  Dehra,"  I  said. 

"Of  course  you  are,  sir,  very  sorry — that  I  saw 
you. — And  so  was  I,"  she  added. 

"Was?"    I  echoed. 

"It  gave  me  un  mauvais  quart  d'heure." 

"  No  longer  than  that  ?  "    I  asked. 

"No;  it  lasted  only  until  I  had  you  to  myself  on 
the  terrace,  a  little  later." 

"And  then?"    I  queried. 

"Then?  Then  I  was  no  longer  jealous  of  the 
Lady  Helen.  Your  eyes  told  me  there  was  no  need." 

"There  never  has  been  anyone  but  you,  my 
darling,"  I  whispered. 

"  And  never  will  be,  Armand  ?  "  she  asked. 


154    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Please  God,  never,"  I  said;  and,  forgetting 
where  we  were,  I  made  as  though  to  take  her  hand. 

"Not  now,"  she  smiled.  "Wait  until  after  the 
Opera." 

"  It  will  be  a  longer  wait  than  that,"  I  said  regret 
fully.  "I  have  told  Courtney  I  would  invite  the 
Radnors  and  him  to  take  supper  with  me  on  the 
Hanging  Garden,  to-night." 

"  Why  don't  you  say  '  take  supper  with  us '  ?  " 

"  You  mean  it,  Dehra  ? "  I  asked  in  surprise. 
"You  have  always  refused,  hitherto;  and  I  have 
asked  so  often." 

She  smiled.  "Hitherto  was  different  from  now," 
she  said. 

"  Thank  God  for  the  now,"  I  added. 

"We  might  bid  them  here  for  the  last  act,"  she 
suggested. 

"I  have  presumed  to  hint  as  much  to  Courtney," 
I  said;  and  told  her  how  it  had  all  come  about  in  my 
talk  with  him  that  morning. 

"  Delightful ! "  she  exclaimed.  "  And  we  will  have 
a  jolly  party  on  the  Garden — and  let  us  be  just  like 
ordinary  folk  and  have  a  public  table — only,  a  little 
apart,  of  course." 

"It  shall  be  as  you  want,"  I  said,  and  dispatched 
Major  Moore  to  the  Radnor  Box  with  the  invitation. 

When  he  returned,  I  stepped  into  the  corridor  and 
gave  him  explicit  instructions  as  to  the  supper.  I  had 
encouraged  both  him  and  Bernheim  to  intimate 
when  I  was  about  to  make  an  Archducal  faux  pas, 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  155 

and  I  saw  he  did  not  approve  of  the  public  table. 
But  I  gave  no  heed.  I  knew  perfectly  well  it  was 
violating  official  etiquette  for  the  Princess  to  appear 
there  at  such  an  hour;  but  it  was  her  first  request 
since — well,  since  what  had  occurred  a  few  minutes 
before — and  I  was  determined  to  gratify  her.  And 
Moore,  being  a  good  courtier,  and  knowing  I  had 
observed  his  warning,  made  no  further  protest, 
but  saluted  and  departed  on  his  mission. 

When  I  rejoined  Dehra  she  had  moved  forward 
and  was  looking  over  the  audience. 

"I  have  found  an  ex-compatriot  of  yours,"  she 
remarked. 

"  Yes  ?  "    I  said,  rather  indifferently. 

"She  has  just  come  into  the  third  box  on  the 
right.  She  is  wonderfully  beautiful — or,  at  least, 
she  looks  it  from  here." 

"I've  got  someone  wonderfully  beautiful  beside 
me,"  I  answered. 

"But  have  you  no  interest  in  the  American?" 
she  asked. 

"None — except  that  she  interests  you.  In  the 
third  box,  did  you  say  ?  "  I  asked,  turning  slowly 
toward  it. 

"Why,  Armand,  you  know  her!"  said  Dehra, 
suddenly. 

Trust  a  woman  to  read  a  man's  face. 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  I  have  seen  her  before  to-night." 

She  gave  me  a  sharp  look.  "  And  have  known  her, 
too — n'cst  ce  pas?  " 


156    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZABS 

"Yes — after  a  fashion,"  I  answered. 

She  studied  the  woman  for  a  space. 

"Is  that  her  husband  behind  her?"  she  asked, 
presently. 

I  smiled.    "  Very  possibly,"  I  said. 

"Had  she  a  husband  when  you  knew  her?"  she 
persisted. 

"Part  of  the  time."    I  was  a  bit  uncomfortable. 

"  And  the  man,  yonder,  is  not  he  ?  " 

"No,"  said  I. 

She  gave  me  a  sidelong  glance.  "  And  her  name  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"It  used  to  be  Madeline  Spencer." 

"You  showed  excellent  taste,  Armand — both  in 
her  looks  and  name."  There  was  something  of 
sarcasm  in  the  tone. 

"Don't  be  unjust,  sweetheart,"  I  said.  "She 
never  was  anything  to  me." 

"  Are  you  quite  sure  ?  ". 

"On  my  honor." 

She  gave  a  little  sigh  of  relief.  "I  am  glad,  dear; 
I  would  not  want  her  for  a  rival.  She  is  much  too 
beautiful  to  be  forgotten  easily." 

"The  beauty  is  only  external.  She  is  ugly  in 
heart,"  I  said.  "I  wonder  what  brings  her  to  Dorn- 
litz?" 

"  The  man  beside  her,  doubtless,"  said  Dehra. 

"Then  he's  spending  money  on  her  like  water — 
or  she  has  some  game  afoot."  I  exclaimed. 

"  You  paint  her  very  dark,  dear." 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  157 

"Listen,"  I  said.  "She  was  the  wife  of  Colonel 
Spencer  of  the  American  Army.  He  married  her, 
one  summer,  in  Paris,  where  he  had  gone  to  meet  her 
upon  her  graduation  from  a  convent  school.  She 
was  his  ward — the  child  of  the  officer  who  had  been 
his  room-mate  at  the  Point.  Within  two  years 
Colonel  Spencer  was  dead — broken-hearted;  a 
wealthy  Lieutenant  of  his  regiment  had  been  cash 
iered  and  had  shot  himself  after  she  had  plucked 
him  clean.  Since  then,  she  has  lived  in  the  odor 
of  eminent  respectability;  yet,  as  I  know,  always 
waiting  for  a  victim — and  always  having  one. 
Money  is  her  God." 

"And,  yet,  there  seems  to  be  nothing  in  her 
appearance  to  suggest  such  viciousness,"  said  Dehra. 

"Nothing,"  I  said;  "and,  hence,  her  danger  and 
her  power." 

"You  knew  her  when  she  was  Colonel  Spencer's 
wife?" 

"I  met  her  at  the  Post  where  he  commanded — 
and,  later,  I  saw  her  in  Washington  and  New  York. 
She  had  been  in  Pittsburgh  for  several  months  before 
I  left — angling  for  some  of  the  nouveaux  riches,  I 
fancy.  There  was  plenty  of  gossip  of  her  in  the  Clubs ; 
though  I,  alone,  I  think,  know  her  true  history." 

"  And  you  did  not  warn  anyone  of  her  ?  " 

"So  long  as  she  let  my  friends  alone  I  cared  not 
what  pigeon  she  plucked.  And  the  very  fact  that 
she  knew  I  was  in  Pittsburgh,  was  enough  to  make 
her  shy  of  anyone  I  would  likely  care  for." 


158    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Dehra  laughed  lightly.  "  Maybe  you  were  a  little 
bit  afraid  of  her,  yourself,"  she  said. 

"Maybe  I  was,"  I  admitted;  "for  she  has  a  fasci 
nation  almost  irresistible — when  she  choose  to  exert 
it." 

Dehra  looked  at  me  steadily. 

I  understood. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "she  has  made  a  try  at  me;  once  in 
New  York;  again,  and  only  recently,  in  Pittsburgh. 
I  escaped  both  times,  thank  God." 

"  She  may  make  another  try  at  you  here." 

I  laughed.  "  She  failed  twice  in  America ;  she  can 
scarcely  win  in  Dornlitz  when  you  are  beside  me." 

"But  I'm  not  always  beside  you,"  she  objected. 

"Not  physically,"  I  said. 

"What  chance  would  a  mentality  have  against 
that  woman's  actual  presence  ?  "  she  asked. 

"It  would  depend  entirely  on  the  man,  and  I  am 
immune — thanks  to  Spencer's  dead  face  and  your 
sweet  one." 

Dehra  smiled  brightly.  "  Spencer's  dead  face  is  a 
mentality  infinitely  more  potent  than  my  living  one; 
but  I  think  the  two  should  hold  you.  Yet,  I  hate  that 
woman  yonder.  I  believe  she  has  dared  to  follow 
you  here." 

I  shook  my  head.  "  Never  in  my  life  have  I  used 
words  to  woman  such  as  I  used  to  her  in  Pittsburgh. 
Oh,  no,  she  has  not  followed  me." 

"Then,  why  is  she  here — so  soon  after  your 
coming  ?  "  Dehra  persisted. 


IN  THE  ROYAL  BOX  159 

"  Why  do  thousands  visit  Dornlitz  every  month  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"She  is  no  casual  visitor." 

"Very  likely,"  I  agreed.  "Madeline  Spencer  is 
not  the  sort  to  do  casual  travelling.  She  has  an 
object — but  it  is  not  I." 

"  I  wish  I  could  feel  secure  of  it." 

"  Do  you  mean  it's  I  you  doubt,  dear  ?  "    I  asked. 

She  gave  me  her  sweetest  smile.  "I  shall  doubt 
you,  Armand,  only  when  you  yourself  order  me  to — 
and,  even  then,  I  may  disregard  the  order." 

Before  such  love  a  man  falls  abject  in  his  absolute 
unworthiness. 

'  'I  don't  deserve  such  trust,  sweetheart,"  I  answered 
humbly — and  I  think  my  voice  broke  in  the  saying. 

"I'll  risk  it,"  she  replied.  "If  I  were  as  sure  that 
woman's  presence  meant  no  harm  to  you  I  would  be 
altogether  easy." 

"  What  harm  could  she  possibly  do  to  an  Archduke 
of  Valeria  ?  "  I  laughed. 

"None  that  I  can  imagine,  I  admit — unless  she 
seek  to  discredit  you  with  the  King." 

"  But  from  what  possible  motive  ?  " 

"  Revenge  for  your  double  scorning  of  her." 

I  laughed.  "Madame  Spencer  has  no  time  for 
such  foolishness  as  revenge." 

"I  hope  you  may  be  right,  dear;  but  a  woman's 
intuition  bids  you  to  beware." 

"  Would  you  like  to  have  the  authorities  look  into 
her  business  here  ?  "  I  asked. 


160    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Yes,  I  surely  would." 

Just  then  Major  Moore  entered.  I  motioned  him 
forward. 

"Everything  is  arranged  for  on  the  Garden  as 
Your  Highness  ordered,"  he  reported. 

I  thanked  him.  "One  thing  more,  Major,"  I 
said.  **  My  compliments  to  the  senior  officer  of  the 
,  Secret  Police  on  duty  here  to-night,  and  ask  him  to 
send  me,  in  the  morning,  a  full  report  on  the  parties 
occupying  the  third  box  on  the  right  in  this  row. 
And  do  you  take  a  good  look  at  them  yourself;  it 
may  be  well  for  you  to  know  their  faces." 

"What  a  satisfactory  Aide,"  said  Dehra.  "His 
eyes  didn't  even  waver  toward  that  other  box." 

"Not  only  that,"  I  answered;  "but,  when  Moore 
does  do  his  looking,  those  in  that  box  won't  know  it, 
you  may  be  sure." 

Then  the  bells  rang  for  the  last  act — and  the 
Radnors  and  Courtney  were  announced. 


XIV 
THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK 

To  those  who  have  never  been  to  Dornlitz  I  may 
say  that  the  Hanging  Garden  is  the  name  for  the 
great  balcony  of  the  Hotel  Metzen.  It  suggests — 
very  faintly — the  Terrace  at  Westminster;  though,  of 
course,  it  is  far  more  beautiful,  with  the  dancing 
waters  of  Lake  Lorg  instead  of  the  dirty,  sluggish 
Thames.  It  is  the  peculiarly  fashionable  restaurant, 
and  is  always  thronged  in  the  evening  with  the 
aristocracy  of  the  Kingdom.  To-night,  the  extreme 
end  of  the  balcony  had  been  reserved  for  me,  and  a 
very  slight  bank  of  plants  was  arranged  to  separate 
us  from  the  general  crowd. 

Just  before  the  final  curtain,  His  Highness  of 
Lotzen  had  strolled  into  the  Royal  Box.  To  my 
surprise  he  congratulated  me  very  heartily  upon 
my  appointment  as  Governor  of  Dornlitz;  and, 
perforce,  I  invited  him  to  join  us  at  supper. 

He  hesitated  a  moment,  and  I  urged  him  to  come. 
In  fact,  I  felt  a  bit  sorry  for  him.  He  had  just  lost 
the  Princess  and,  with  her,  likely,  his  chance  at  the 
Throne,  as  well.  And  I  had  won  the  one  and,  very 
possibly,  the  other,  also.  I  could  afford  to  be  gener- 
11  '  161 


162     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

ous.  After  to-night,  however, — when  he  had  learned 
of  these  facts — it  would  be  for  him  to  indicate  as  to 
our  future  attitude.  For  my  part,  I  was  quite  willing 
to  be  friendly. 

The  entrance  of  my  party  made  something  of  a 
sensation.  To  reach  our  table,  we  were  obliged  to 
pass  down  the  Garden  almost  half  its  length  and  the 
people  arose  instantly  and  bowed. 

To  Lotzen,  this  deference  was  such  an  ordinary 
incident  of  his  daily  life  he,  doubtless,  scarcely 
noticed  it.  But  I  was  still  fresh  in  my  Royalty  and 
it  did  attract  me — though,  I  think  I  appreciated  what 
he  did  not;  that  their  courtesy  was,  in  truth,  to  the 
Princess  only,  and  not  to  us.  Indeed,  it  would  have 
been  just  the  same  if  the  King  himself  had  been  with 
us.  When  Dehra  was  in  presence  the  people  had  eyes 
for  her  alone. 

The  supper  was  deliciously  cooked;  the  wine  was 
excellent;  the  service  beyond  criticism.  I  had  given 
the  two  Ambassadors  to  Dehra  and  had  put  Lady 
Helen  between  Lotzen  and  myself,  with  Lord 
Radnor  on  the  Duke's  left. 

We  were  a  merry  party.  Dehra  was  positively 
bewitching  and  Radnor  was  simply  fascinated. 
He  could  scarcely  take  his  eyes  from  her,  even 
when  addressed  by  Lotzen;  which  was  very  little, 
for  the  Duke  devoted  himself  very  assiduously 
to  Lady  Helen.  So  I  was  remitted  to  Lady  Rad 
nor,  who  was  about  the  most  tiresomely  uninter 
esting  mortal  it  had  been  my  misfortune  to  know — 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  163 

a  funeral  service  was  an  extravaganza  in  com 
parison  to  her  talk.  In  Washington,  my  rank  had 
never  entitled  me  to  a  seat  at  her  side  at  dinner; 
and  many  was  the  time  I  had  chaffed  Courtney, 
or  some  other  unfortunate,  who  had  been  so 
stranded  beside  Her  Ponderousness.  To-night,  how 
ever,  my  turn  was  come,  and  Courtney  was  getting 
his  revenge. 

My  only  solace  were  the  occasional  smiles  that 
Dehra  gave  me — smiles  that  Courtney  noted  in 
stantly  and,  I  fancied,  understood;  and  that  Lotzen 
intercepted ;  but  what  he  thought  I  did  not  know  and 
did  not  care.  Who  ever  cares  what  his  defeated 
rival  thinks ! 

We  had  been  there  for,  possibly,  half  an  hour 
when,  happening  to  glance  outward,  I  saw  Madeline 
Spencer  and  an  elderly  woman,  and  the  man  who 
had  been  in  the  box  with  her,  coming  slowly  down  the 
Garden.  It  chanced  that  a  table  near  us  had  just 
been  vacated  and  they  were  shown  to  it  by  the  head- 
waiter,  whose  excessive  obsequiousness  proved  the 
size  of  his  tip. 

Mrs.  Spencer  gave  our  party  a  single  quick  glance, 
as  she  drew  off  her  gloves,  and  then  fell  to  con 
versing  with  her  companions. 

All  this  I  had  noted  out  of  the  corner  of  my  eye, 
as  it  were.  I  had  not  the  least  doubt  she  had  recog 
nized  me  at  the  Opera,  and  I  did  not  intend  to  give 
her  a  chance  to  speak  to  me — which  I  knew  she 
would  try  to  do,  the  Pittsburgh  experience  not- 


164    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

withstanding,  if  she  thought  it  might  further  her 
present  plans  or  pleasures. 

Lotzen,  however,  had  been  drinking  rather  freely 
and  was  not  so  chary  with  his  glances.  Indeed,  he 
stared  so  frankly  that  Lady  Helen  did  not  hesitate 
to  prod  him  about  it. 

"I  would  take  her  to  be  an  American,"  I  heard 
him  say. 

"Without  a  doubt,"  Lady  Helen  answered. 

Inwardly,  I  consigned  the  Spencer  woman  to 
perdition.  They  would  be  interrogating  me  about 
her,  next;  and  I  did  not  know  just  how  to  answer.  I 
would  have  to  admit  knowing  her;  that  would  only 
whet  their  curiosity  and  bring  further  questions. 
To  tell  the  whole  story  was  absurd — and,  yet,  only  a 
little  of  it  would  leave  a  rather  unpleasant  inference 
against  me.  At  any  rate,  on  Dehra's  account,  I  did 
not  want  the  matter  discussed. 

I  could  feel  Lotzen's  glance,  and  I  knew  he  was 
waiting  only  for  a  break  in  Lady  Radnor's  discourse. 
I  gave  him  as  much  of  my  back  as  possible,  and 
encouraged  her  to  proceed.  She  was  on  the  Tene 
ment  House  problem;  but  I  had  no  idea  what  she 
was  advocating,  in  particular.  I  did  not  care.  All  I 
wanted  was  talk — talk — talk.  And,  whenever  she 
showed  signs  of  slowing  up,  I  flung  in  a  word  and 
spurred  her  on  again. 

And  she  responded  nobly;  and  I  marvelled  at  her 
staying  powers — at  Lord  Radnor's  fortitude  through 
so  many  years — at  Lady  Helen  being  the  child  of 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  165 

such  a  mother.  But,  all  the  time,  I  was  conscious 
of  Lotzen  waiting — waiting — waiting.  I  could  hear 
his  voice  and  Lady  Helen's  merry  laugh,  yet  I  knew 
nothing  but  the  ending  of  the  supper  and  the  break 
ing  of  the  party,  with  Lady  Radnor  still  riding 
her  hobby,  would  save  me  from  the  question.  I 
threw  in  another  remark  to  keep  her  going.  It  was 
fatal. 

Lord  Radnor  heard  it;  and,  catching  his  wife's 
reply,  I  saw  him  frown. 

"  Lord  bless  us ! "  he  exclaimed  to  the  Princess  and 
Courtney,  "we  must  rescue  His  Highness — Lady 
Radnor  is  on  the  Tenement  problem." 

I  tried  to  signal  Courtney  to  keep  Radnor  occu 
pied;  but  he  did  not  understand,  and  only  smiled  and 
whispered  something  to  the  Princess.  Then  Lord 
Radnor  caught  his  wife's  eye  and  the  old  lady's 
discourse  ended  abruptly. 

"  I  fear  I  weary  Your  Royal  Highness,"  she  said. 

"On  the  contrary,  I  am  deeply  interested,"  I 
assured  her.  "Pray  continue." 

Her  glance  wandered  eagerly  across  the  table, 
but  she  got  no  encouragement  from  the  Ambassador. 

"Your  Highness  is  very  gracious,"  she  said, 
"  and,  sometime,  if  you  are  so  minded,  I  shall  gladly 
show  you  the  late  reports  from  the  London  Society." 

I  dared  not  urge  her  further;  Lord  Radnor  would 
have  suspected  me  of  making  sport  of  his  wife.  So  I 
cudgelled  my  brain  for  some  other  subject  to  talk 
up  with  her.  Of  course,  I  failed  to  find  it  instantly, 


166    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

and,  in  the  momentary  silence,  Lotzen's  oppor 
tunity  came. 

"Annand,"  he  said,  leaning  a  bit  forward,  "Lady 
Helen  and  I  have  been  discussing  the  woman  in 
black,  yonder  — the  pretty  one.  We  take  her  to  be 
an  American — what  is  your  opinion  ?  " 

The  whole  table  heard  the  question,  and  every 
one  looked  at  the  lady — either  immediately  or  when 
they  could  do  it  with  proper  discretion. 

"You  mean  the  woman  with  the  elderly  couple, 
just  near  us  ?  "  I  asked,  glancing  thither,  and  so  on 
around  to  the  Princess,  who  met  me  with  a  smile. 

"  The  same,"  said  Lotzen. 

"  You're  quite  right,"  said  I; " she  is  an  American." 

"  You  know  her  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  used  to  know  her." 

He  hesitated  a  moment — and,  of  course,  every 
one  waited.  "Couldn't  you  still  know  her  enough 
to  present  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

I  shook  my  head.  "  You  would  be  most  unfortu 
nate  in  your  sponsor,"  I  answered. 

He  smiled  indulgently.    "  I'll  risk  it,"  he  said. 

"But,  maybe,  I  won't,"  I  answered. 

His  smile  broadened.  "Come,  come,  cousin 
mine,"  he  said;  "  don't  be  selfish  with  the  lady." 

I  smiled  blandly  back  at  him,  though  my  hand 
itched  to  strike  him  in  the  face. 

"My  dear  Duke,"  I  said,  "you  forget  I  may  not 
yet  have  had  time  to  acquire  certain  of  the — dilet- 
tant?  accomplishments  of  Royalty." 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  167 

His  expression  changed  instantly.  "I  beg  your 
pardon,  Armand,"  he  said,  "I  was  only  joking." 

I  saw  Courtney  glance  at  Lady  Helen  and 
slowly  shut  one  eye.  He  knew,  as  did  I,  that  Lotzen 
lied. 

"There  is  naught  to  pardon,  cousin,"  I  said. 
"We  both  were  joking." 

Then  Lady  Helen  came  to  my  relief. 

"  But  there  is  considerable  for  Her  Royal  Highness 
and  me  to  pardon,"  she  said. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "there  is." 

"I  take  all  the  blame,"  Lotzen  interrupted.  "I 
alone  am  guilty;  proceed  with  the  judgment." 

"What  shall  it  be?"  said  Lady  Helen  to  the 
Princess. 

Dehra  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulders  and  raised 
her  hands  expressively. 

"The  only  punishment  that  fits  the  crime  is  to 
deprive  the  Duke  of  Lotzen  of  all  wine  for  the  rest  of 
the  evening." 

It    seemed    to    me    the    Duke    winced. 

"Your  Highness  is  severe,"  he  said. 

She  looked  him  straight  in  the  eyes.  "On  the 
contrary,  cousin,  I  am  kind  to  put  it  so — and  you 
know  it." 

But  Lotzen 's  equanimity  was  not  to  be  disturbed. 
He  smiled  with  engaging  frankness. 

"The  Queen  can  do  no  wrong,"  he  said,  and 
bowed  over  the  table. 

Just  then,  Madeline  Spencer  arose  and  I  breathed 


168     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZAIte 

a  sigh  of  relief — she  was  going.  The  next  instant  I 
almost  gasped.  Instead  of  going,  she  came  swiftly 
toward  us — passed  the  low  bank  of  plants — and 
straight  to  me. 

I  arose — all  the  men  arose— -and  bowed  stiffly. 

She  hesitated  and  seemed  a  bit  embarrassed — 
then,  suddenly,  held  out  her  hand  to  me. 

"I  am  afraid,  Armand,"  she  said,  "you  are  not 
glad  to  see  me." 

Armand!  Armand!  Lord,  what  nerve!  A  rush 
of  sharp  anger  almost  choked  me,  yet  I  tried  to  look 
at  her  only  in  calm  interrogation. 

"I  think,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said,  just  touching  her 
hand,  "almost  every  man  is  glad  to  see  a  pretty 
woman." 

She  gave  me  a  look  of  surprise;  then,  threw  up  her 
head,  disdainfully. 

"  You  called  me c  Mrs.  Spencer '  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  "  I  was  not  aware  you 
had  changed  your  name."  I  answered. 

She  took  a  step  backward.  "  You  were  not  aware 
of  what  ?  "  she  exclaimed. 

"  That  you  were  no  longer  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said — 
a  trifle  curtly,  maybe.  I  thought  she  was  playing 
for  a  presentation  to  the  Princess  and  I  had  no 
intention  of  gratifying  her,  even  if  I  had  to  be  rude 
to  her  deliberately. 

She  passed  her  hand  across  her  brow  and  stared  at 
me  increduously.  I  turned  half  aside  and  glanced 
around  the  table.  Every  face  but  three  showed 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  169 

blank  amazement.  Of  those  three,  the  Princess's 
wore  a  tolerant  smile;  Lotzen's  a  frown;  but  Court 
ney's  was  set  in  almost  a  sneer.  And,  at  it,  I  mar 
velled.  Later,  I  understood;  he  had,  by  some  queer 
intuition,  guessed  what  was  to  follow. 

When  I  came  back  to  Mrs.  Spencer  her  expression 
had  changed.  The  incredulous  look  was  gone; 
bright  anger  flamed,  instead. 

"Do  you  still  persist,  sir,  that  you  do  not  know 
my  rightful  name  ?  "  she  demanded. 

From  my  previous  acquaintance  with  the  lady  I 
knew  she  was  working  herself  into  a  passion ;  though, 
why,  I  could  not  imagine. 

"My  dear  Madame,"  I  said,  "why  such  pother 
over  such  a  trifle  ?  If  your  name  be,  no  longer, 
Madeline  Spencer,  tell  me  what  it  is.  I  shall  be 
profoundly  glad  to  call  you  by  it — or  any  name 
than  Spencer,"  I  added. 

She  felt  the  thrust  and  her  eyes  answered  it. 
Then,  suddenly,  she  turned  and  faced  those  at  the 
table. 

"Your  pardon,"  she  said,  speaking  straight  at 
Lord  Radnor,  "  will  you  tell  me  if  this  man  here" — 
waving  her  hand  toward  me — "is  Major  Armand 
Dalberg?" 

Lord  Radnor  bowed.  "That  gentleman  is  His 
Royal  Highness  the  Grand  Duke  Armand  of 
Valeria,"  he  said. 

"Erstwhile,  Major  of  Engineers  in  the  American 
Army  ?  "  she  asked. 


170    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  believe  so,  Madame,"  said  his  Lordship, 
stiffly. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said.    "  And  now " 

But  I  broke  in.  "Madame,"  I  said  sharply, 
"you  have  presumed  beyond  forbearance.  Major 
Moore,  will  you  escort  the  lady  to  her  companions." 

Moore  stepped  forward  and,  bowing  very  low, 
offered  his  arm.  Like  a  flash,  her  face  changed  and 
she  met  him  with  a  smile. 

"Just  a  moment,  if  you  please,"  she  said,  with 
softest  accents.  Then,  with  studied  deliberation, 
she  turned  her  back  on  me  and  swept  the  Princess 
an  elaborate  courtesy. 

"Your  Royal  Highness  may  pardon  my  intrusion," 
she  said,  "when  I  tell  you  that  I  am  Armand  Dai- 
berg's  wife Now,  Major  Moore,  I  am  ready," 

and  she  put  her  hand  upon  his  arm. 

But  Moore  never  moved.  Instead,  he  looked  at 
me  for  orders. 

Language  is  utterly  inadequate  to  describe  my 
feelings  at  that  moment;  so  I  shall  not  try.  Imagina 
tion  is  better  than  words.  I  know  I  had  an  almost 
uncontrollable  impulse  for  violence — and  I  fancy 
Courtney  feared  it,  for  he  stepped  quickly  over  and 
put  his  hand  on  my  shoulder. 

"  Thank  you,  old  man,"  I  said.  Then  I  looked  at 
the  Princess. 

She  was  leaning  carelessly  back  in  her  chair, 
watching  the  Spencer  woman  through  half-closed 
eyes — a  bright  flush  on  each  cheek  and  a  faint 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  171 

smile,  half  sneer,  half  amusement,  on  her  lips. 
Suddenly  she  looked  at  me,  and  the  smile  flashed 
out  into  such  an  one  as  she  had  given  me  in  the 
Royal  Box. 

My  heart  gave  a  great  bound — I  knew  she  trusted 
me,  still.  I  turned  to  the  woman  in  black. 

"  Is  it  possible,  Madame,  that  you  claim  to  be  my 
wife  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  dropped  Moore's  arm  and  took  a  step  toward 
me — and,  as  I  live,  there  were  tears  in  her  eyes. 

"What  has  changed  you,  Armand?"  she  asked. 
"  Why  do  you  flout  me  so  ?  " 

I  stared  at  her.  "  God  help  me,  woman,  you  must 
be  crazy!"  I  said. 

She  put  out  her  hand  appealingly.  "You  don't 
mean  that,  dear,  surely  ?  "  And,  now,  the  tears  were 
in  her  voice,  too. 

"What  I  mean,  Madame,  is  that  you  are  either 
crazy  or  playing  some  game,"  I  answered  curtly. 

She  brushed  aside  the  tears  and  gave  me  a  look  of 
almost  heart-broken  appeal. 

"Why  do  you  deny  me,  Armand?"  she  cried. 
"  Have  I  grown  ugly  in  the  last  few  months  ?  Has 
the  beauty  you  used  to  praise  turned  so  soon  to 
ashes  ?  " 

Unfortunately,  for  me,  her  beauty  had  not  turned 
to  ashes.  She  was,  at  that  very  moment,  the  hand 
somest  woman  I  had  ever  seen — save  only  the 
Princess.  The  slender  figure — the  magnificent  neck 
and  shoulders — the  roll  upon  roll  of  jet-black  hair — 


172     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

the  almost  classic  face — and  all  in  distress  and 
trouble. 

She  was  a  picture,  surely;  and  one  that  was 
making  its  impression;  judging  from  the  faces  of 
Lord  and  Lady  Radnor.  I  changed  my  manner. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said  kindly,  "no  one 
may  deny  your  beauty — and  I,  least  of  all.  But  I  do 
deny  that  I  am  your  husband.  You  are,  evidently, 
ill,  and  laboring  under  some  queer  hallucination." 

She  shook  her  head.  "You  know  perfectly  well, 
Armand,  I  am  not  ill  nor  under  a  delusion,"  she  said, 
and  looked  me  straight  in  the  eyes. 

"Then,  Madame,  you  are  a  wonderful — actress," 
I  answered. 

Again  the  tears  welled  up,  and  one  trickled 
slowly  down  her  cheek.  She  turned  quickly  and 
made  as  though  to  go.  But  Courtney  stayed  her. 

"My  dear  Madame,"  he  said,  with  that  gracious 
courtesy  of  his,  which  I  have  never  seen  equalled  by 
courtier  of  any  Court,  "  may  I  ask  you  a  question  ?  " 

She  inclined  her  head  in  answer  and  waited. 

"You  have  claimed  a  Royal  Duke  of  Valeria  as 
your  husband,  and  he  has  denied  the  claim.  It  is  a 
most  serious  matter.  It  was  done  in  the  presence  of 
many  witnesses,  and  your  words,  or  some  of  them, 
were,  doubtless,  overheard  by  those  at  nearby 
tables.  The  Capital  will  be  full  of  the  affair;  and  the 
results  may  be  most  unfortunate  for  you,  and  for 
His  Highness.  I  am  the  American  Ambassador; 
here  is  the  Ambassador  of  His  Majesty  of  England; 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  173 

and,  yonder,  is  His  Royal  Highness  the  Grand 
Duke  Lotzen,  Heir  Presumptive  to  the  Valerian 
Throne " 

"Your  speech  is  long,  sir,"  she  said;  "please 
come  to  the  question." 

Courtney  bowed.  "I  was  but  trying  to  explain 
why  I  ventured  to  meddle  in  Madame 's  business," 
he  said. 

She  smiled  wearily.  "Your  pardon,  Monsieur; 
pray  proceed." 

"The  question  I  want  to  ask  is  this,"  said  Court 
ney:  "Will  you  not  tell  us  when  and  where  you 
became  the  wife  of  Armand  Dalberg  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Monsieur,  and  gladly — and  I  thank  you  for 
the  thought.  I  was  married  to  Armand  Dalberg — 
then  a  Major  in  the  American  Army — on  the  twenty- 
first  day  of  last  December  in  the  City  of  New  York." 

(That  was  only  two  months  before  I  had  sailed  for 
Valeria;  and  I  had  been  in  New  York  that  very 
day.) 

"  And  by  whom,  pray  ?  "    I  exclaimed. 

"By  the  official  you  provided,"  was  the  curt 
reply.  Then,  to  Courtney,  she  added:  "I  don't 
recall  his  name  but  my  certificate  shows  it,  I 
suppose." 

"  And  you  have  the  certificate  with  you  ? "  he 
asked. 

"It  is  somewhere  among  my  luggage.  If  you 
care  to  see  it  I  shall  try  to  find  it  to-morrow." 

"Thank  you,  Madame,"  Courtney  answered. 


174    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Then  Lotzen  took  a  hand. 

"Will  Madame  permit  me,  also,  to  ask  her  a 
question  ?  "  he  said. 

"Certainly,  Your  Highness,"  she  answered,  and 
would  have  curtsied  had  he  not  waved  her  up. 

"  Was  the  marriage  secret  ?  "  he  asked. 

The  answer  was  instant :  "  It  was  private  but  not 
secret." 

"  Then,  why  is  it  that  Major  Dalberg's  record  in 
the  War  office  in  Washington  makes  no  mention  of 
this  marriage  ?  I  happen  to  know  it  does  not. " 

"I  do  not  know,"  she  answered,  rather  tartly. 
"  It  was  not,  I  assume,  my  duty  to  report  it." 

"And,  further,  Madame,"  Lotzen  continued. 
"If  Major  Dalberg  were  lucky  enough  to  marry 
you,  why,  in  Heaven's  name,  should  he  deny  you 
within  a  few  short  months  ?  " 

"I  might  guess  one  of  the  reasons,"  she  answered 
languidly — and  let  her  eyes  rest  upon  the  Princess. 

And  Dehra  laughed  in  her  face. 

Lotzen  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  was  silent. 

"  Are  there  any  more  questions,  Messieurs  ?  "  she 
asked. 

No  one  answered. 

"Then,  with  your  permission,  I  will  obey  my 
husband's  orders  and  withdraw,"  she  said  mock 
ingly.  "Major  Moore,  your  arm." 

When  she  was  gone,  Lotzen  turned  to  me  and 
held  out  his  hand. 

"  I'm  with  you,  Armand,"  he  said  heartily.    "  She's 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  175 

no  wife  of  yours,  certificate  to  the  contrary  notwith 
standing." 

I  thanked  him  gratefully — the  more  so  since  it  was 
so  totally  unexpected.  Then,  without  giving  the 
others  an  opportunity  to  express  their  opinion 
(they  would,  of  course,  have  been  constrained  to 
agree  with  the  Heir  Presumptive;  all  except  the 
Princess,  and,  of  her,  I  had  no  doubt)  and  address 
ing,  particularly,  the  Radnors,  I  said : 

"  The  supper  is  spoiled  beyond  repair,  I  fear,  but  I 
shall  ask  you  to  go  on  with  it,  for  I  wish  to  acquaint 
you  with  some  facts  in  the  life  of  the  woman  who 
claims  me  as  her  husband." 

"We  are  quite  ready  to  accept  Your  Highness 's 
simple  denial,"  said  Lord  Radnor. 

"  I  prefer  you  hear  my  story  first,"  I  answered. 

Then  I  told  them,  in  detail,  what  I  had  only 
outlined  to  the  Princess,  concerning  Madeline 
Spencer.  When  I  had  finished,  Lord  Radnor  shook 
his  grey  head  gravely. 

"His  Highness  of  Lotzen  is  quite  right,"  he  said. 
"You  never  married  that  woman.  Either  she  is  a 
blackmailer  or  she  is  doing  this  in  pure  revenge. 
WThat's  your  notion,  Courtney  ?  " 

"The  marriage  story  is,  of  course,  a  pure  lie," 
said  Courtney,  "but,  there,  I  quit.  I  never  try  to 
guess  a  woman's  purpose — and  a  pretty  woman's 
least  of  all." 

"God  bless  me,  man!"  Radnor  exclaimed;  "for  a 
bachelor  you  are  wondrous  wise." 


176    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Maybe  that's  why  he  is  a  bachelor,"  said  Lady 
Helen. 

"But  even  the  wise  get  foolish  at  times,"  I  said — 
and  smiled  at  her.  And  she  made  a  face  at  me 
behind  her  fan. 

Then  the  Princess  arose  and,  taking  Lord  Rad 
nor's  arm,  she  led  the  way  down  the  garden. 
I  came  last  with  Lady  Radnor.  When  we  reached 
the  exit  Dehra  insisted  upon  waiting  until  the 
Radnors  and  Courtney  had  gone.  She  was,  she 
said,  helping  me  do  the  honors.  Then,  when  her 
own  carriage  was  at  the  door,  she  turned  to  the 
Countess  Giska. 

"His  Highness  will  drive  with  me,"  she  said. 
"  Major  Moore,  will  you  escort  the  Countess  ?  " 

"  But,  Dehra "    I  protested. 

She  was  in  the  brougham,  now. 

"You  will  not  permit  me  to  drive  alone  to  the 
Palace,"  she  said. 

"But,  Dehra — • — "  I  began  again. 

She  reached  over  and  took  my  hand. 

Still  I  hesitated. 

"Come,  sweetheart,"  she  said  softly. 

I  could  resist  no  longer.  I  sprang  in;  the  door 
slammed,  and  we  were  alone  together. 

No,  not  alone,  either.  The  Spencer  woman  was 
there  with  us — before  us  —  all  around  us.  "I 
am  Anuanil  Dalberg's  wife"  was  pounding  in  my 
brain. 

Then  I  felt  a  soft  little  hand  slip  into   mine;    a 


THE  WOMAN  IN  BLACK  177 

perfumed  hair  tress  touched  my  cheek;  and  the 
sweetest  voice,  to  me,  on  earth  whispered  in  my 
ear. 

"  Don't  I  get  my  kiss  now  ?  " 

I  flung  my  arm  about  her  and  caught  her  close — 
then  loosed  her  sharply  and  drew  back. 

"  God  help  me,  Dehra,  I  may  not,"  I  said. 

She  laughed  softly,  and  again  she  found  my 
hand — and  I  felt  her  hair  brush  my  face — and  her 
body  rest  against  my  shoulder. 

"  Why,  Armand  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Why  may  you  not 
kiss  your  betrothed  ?  " 

"  Because,"  said  I,  "  because " 

"  Yes,  dear,  go  on,"  she  whispered. 

I  drew  my  hand  away  from  hers.  "Did  you  not 
hear  that  woman  claim  me  as  her  husband  ?  "  I  said. 

But  she  only  pressed  the  closer.  I  was  in  the  very 
corner  of  the  carriage  now;  I  could  retreat  no 
farther.  And,  maybe,  I  was  glad.  I  think  I  was. 

"But  that's  no  reason,"  she  insisted.  "You  are 
not  her  husband." 

"  You  believe  that,  dear  ?  "  I  cried. 

She  put  her  arms  about  my  neck  and  kissed  me, 
almost  fiercely,  on  the  lips — then,  suddenly,  drew 
back  and,  with  both  hands  pressed  against  my 
breast,  she  viewed  me  at  arm's  length. 

"Believe  it?"  she  said;  "believe  it?  I  never 
believed  anything  else." 

I  took  her  hands  and  reverently  touched  them  to 
my  forehead — then,  held  them  tight. 
12 


178    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  After  all  these  years,  God  would  not  send  you  to 
me  just  to  mock  my  prayers,"  she  added. 

"  But  the  certificate ! "    I  objected. 

"  A  lie  or  a  forgery,"  she  said  scornfully. 

I  drew  her  head  upon  my  shoulder.  "  Sweetheart," 
I  whispered ;  "  may  I  kiss  you,  now  ?  " 

She  lifted  her  dear  face  and  looked  up  into  mine 
with  glistening  eyes,  her  lips  half  parted.  My  own 
eyes,  too,  were  wet,  I  think. 

"Yes,  Armand — now  and  always,"  she  answered. 

And,  so  I  held  her,  for  a  moment;  then,  bent  and 
kissed  her.  And  that  kiss  is  on  my  lips  this  instant, 
and  will  be  until  they  numb  in  death. 


XV 

HER  WORD  AND  HER  CERTIFICATE 

IF  any  man — having  lived  a  bachelor  to  early 
middle  life,  has  then  found  his  ideal,  and  has  been, 
unexpectedly  and  undeservedly,  favored  with  her 
love,  and  then,  within  two  hours  thereafter  and  in 
her  very  presence,  has  been  claimed  by  another 
woman  as  her  husband — that  man  will  be  able  to 
appreciate  something  of  my  state  of  mind.  No  one 
else  could,  so  it  is  not  worth  while  attempting  to 
describe  it. 

I  admit  I  lay  awake  most  of  the  night  trying  to 
determine  how  to  meet  the  Spencer  woman's  attack. 
And  I  had  reached  no  satisfactory  decision  when  I 
went  down  to  breakfast. 

The  formal  ceremony  of  my  taking  over  the 
Governorship  of  Dornlitz  was  fixed  for  noon.  I 
would  be  occupied  the  remainder  of  the  afternoon  at 
headquarters ;  and  then,  in  the  evening,  I  was  to  give 
a  dinner  to  the  ranking  military  officers  in  the 
Capital.  I  wanted  to  get  some  plan  of  action 
arranged  at  once  and,  feeling  the  need  of  clear 
headed  counsel,  I  dispatched  Bernheim  to  the 
American  Embassy  with  a  request  that  Courtney 

179 


180     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

join  me  immediately.  I  had  just  finished  my  meal 
when  he  was  announced,  and  we  repaired  to  my 
private  cabinet. 

The  top  paper  on  my  desk  was  the  report  of  the 
Secret  Police  upon  "  The  occupants  of  the  third  box 
on  the  right,"  which  I  had  ordered  the  previous 
evening.  I  carried  it  to  Courtney  and  we  read  it 
together.  It  was  long  and  detailed  and  covered  all 
the  movements  of  the  trio  since  their  entry  into 
Dornlitz. 

In  effect  it  was:  That  the  elderly  couple  were 
only  chance  acquaintances  of  the  younger  woman, 
having  met  her  on  the  train  en  route  from  Paris; 
that  they  had  reached  the  Capital  the  previous  day 
and  had  registered  at  the  Hotel  Metzen  as  "Mr. 
and  Mrs.  James  Bacon,  New  York  City,"  and 
"Mrs.  Armand  Dalberg  and  maid,  Washington, 
D.  C. ;"  that  the  Mrs.  Dalberg  had  remained  in  her 
apartments  until  evening,  had  then  dined  in  the 
public  dining  room  with  the  Bacons,  and  the  three 
had  then  gone  to  the  Opera;  that  no  callers  had  been 
received  by  any  of  them,  so  far  as  known  by  the 
hotel's  officials;  that,  after  the  Opera,  they  had  been 
driven  directly  to  the  hotel  and  had  gone  into  the 
Hanging  Garden  and  had  taken  a  table;  that, 
presently,  the  one  known  as  Mrs.  Dalberg  had 
intruded  upon  certain  personages  of  high  rank,  who 
were  at  a  near-by  table;  that,  after  a  rather  pro 
longed  discussion,  she  had  been  escorted  back  to  her 
companions,  the  Bacons  (who  had,  meanwhile, 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE       181 

remained  at  their  table)  by  an  Aide-de-Camp  of 
one  of  the  high  personages ;  that  the  lady  in  question 
and  the  Bacons,  very  shortly  thereafter,  retired  to 
their  apartments.  At  six  A.  M. — when  the  report 
was  dated — they  were  still  in  their  respective  apart 
ments. 

I  flung  the  report  on  the  desk. 

"  Damn  that  woman ! "    I  exclaimed. 

Courtney  sat  down,  and  the  inevitable  cigarette 
case  came  out. 

"That's  scarcely  emphatic  enough,  my  dear  boy," 
he  said.  "  Go  into  the  next  room  and  cut  loose  a  bit.'* 

"I've  nothing  else  to  cut  loose  with,"  I  replied. 
"  I  used  up  everything,  last  night." 

" Good,"  said  he.  "If  the  pressure  is  off,  you  are 
in  shape  to  think." 

I  shook  my  head.  "No,  I'm  not — that's  why  I 
sent  for  you — to  do  the  thinking." 

He  picked  up  the  Police  report.     "I'm  glad  she 
registered  as  Mrs.  Armand  Dalberg,"  he  said. 

"  The  devil  you  are ! "    I  exclaimed. 

He  nodded.  "The  first  problem  to  solve  is: 
What  motive  this  woman  has  in  proclaiming  herself 
your  wife.  There  are  only  two  motives  possible,  I 
think,  and  this  registry  utterly  eliminates  one  of 
them." 

"You  mean  it  is  not  blackmail,"  I  said. 

"Exactly." 

"  And  the  other  motive  ?  " 

"Revenge." 


182     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Oh,  no,"  I  said;  "that  woman  didn't  come  from 
America  to  Dornlitz  simply  for  revenge." 

"Very  good,"  said  Courtney.  "Then,  the  motive 
is  not  hers  and  we  must  look  elsewhere  for  it." 

"If  you  mean  she  is  only  a  tool,"  said  I,  "that  ia 
almost  as  unlikely  as  revenge." 

"On  the  contrary,  why  couldn't  it  be  both — and, 
also,  a  big  pile  of  money  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Because,"  said  I,  "she  would  balk  at  the 
notoriety." 

Courtney  laughed.  "Good,  yellow  gold,  and 
plenty  of  it,  is  a  wonderful  persuader." 

"Come,"  said  I;  "what's  your  guess  in  the 
matter  ?  " 

He  tossed  aside  his  cigarette  and  leaned  a  bit 
forward  in  his  chair. 

"  The  lady  has  been  purchased  by  someone  to  come 
here  and  pose  as  your  wife ;  the  moving  consideration 
to  her  was  enough  cash  to  make  her  independently 
rich  and  the  pleasure  of  thus  being  able  to  square 
off  with  you,  on  her  own  account.  That's  my  guess — 
and  I  fancy  it's  yours  too,"  he  ended. 

I  laughed.  "Yes,"  said  I;  "it  is.  I  spent  the 
night  over  the  mix  and  that's  the  best  solution  I 
could  make." 

Courtney  lit  a  fresh  cigarette.  "Of  course,  it's 
Lotzen,"  said  he.  "And  a  very  clever  plot  it  is. 
No  Princess  and  no  Crown  for  you,  my  boy,  until 
this  Madame  Armand  Dalberg  is  eliminated — and, 
maybe,  not  even  then." 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE      183 

"Your  'then'  is  the  only  rift  in  the  cloud,"  said  I. 
"Eliminate  the  Spencer  woman,  and,  I  think,  I 
can  manage." 

He  looked  at  me  questioningly. 

"Her  Highness  was  very  gracious  to  me  last 
night,"  I  explained — and  I  felt  my  face  getting  red. 

Courtney  got  up  and  came  over  to  me. 

"  Is  it  up  to  a  hand-shake,  old  man  ?  "  he  asked. 

I  nodded,  and  we  gripped  fingers. 

"It  would  have  been  up  to  the  King,  to-morrow, 
but  for  this  miserable  wife  business,"  said  I. 

"Good!"  he  exclaimed.  "Lotzen  does  not  hold 
all  the  cards — you've  got  a  few  trumps,  too.  It  will 
be  a  pretty  game. " 

"For  the  spectators,"  I  supplemented. 

"For  you,  too;  when  you  get  into  the  swing  of  it." 

"I  wish  J  had  your  happy  way  of  viewing  things," 
I  said. 

He  laughed.  "  Oh,  it's  easy  to  view  some  other 
fellow's  affairs  happily.  That  is  why  a  friend's 
advice  is  usually  serviceable." 

I  took  a  pipe  and  began  to  fill  it.  "It's  that 
advice  I  want,"  I  said. 

He  was  silent  for  a  space.    I  smoked  and  waited. 

"I  suppose  you  had  no  opportunity  to  talk  with 
the  Princess  after  the  supper,  last  night  ?  "  he  said. 

I  smiled.    "  I  drove  with  her  to  the  Palace." 

"  Alone  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

"Yes — she  ordered  me  in  with  her  and  sent  the 
Countess  with  Moore." 


184     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  sat  up  sharply.  "Gad!  Major,  she's  a 
treasure!"  he  exclaimed.  "That  tells  me  what  I 
want  to  know:  she  has  measured  the  Spencer 
woman's  story." 

"Both  story  and  certificate,"  said  I.  "She  says 
the  one  is  a  lie  and  the  other  a  forgery." 

He  raised  his  hand  emphatically.  "My  dear 
fellow,"  he  said,  sternly,  "if  you  didn't  get  down  on 
your  knees,  last  night,  and  thank  the  good  God  for 
that  brave  girl  up  yonder  in  the  Palace,  you  deserve 
to  lose  her — and  I  shall  go  over  to  Lotzen's  side, 
myself." 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  I  didn't.  I  was  too  busy  thinking 
about  and  praising  her." 

"That's  the  same  thing,"  he  said.  "I'll  stay 
with  you." 

I  got  up  and  bowed. 

"  Thank  you,  Your  Excellency,"  I  said. 

Then  we  both  smiled. 

"It's  queer,"  said  Courtney,  "how,  even  in  the 
most  embarrassing  difficulties,  a  woman's  love 
makes  a  man's  heart  light." 

I  nodded.  I  was  thinking  of  the  drive  to  the 
Palace. 

Courtney's  laugh  aroused  me.  "  Come  out  of 
the  brougham,"  he  called. 

"  That  is  where  I  was,"  I  admitted. 

"  The  next  thing,"  said  he,  "  is  to  see  that  marriage 
certificate." 

"  If  there  be  one,"  I  questioned. 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE      185 

"  There  is  one — of  that  you  may  be  sure." 

"She  offered  to  show  it  to  you,  to-day,"  said  I. 
14  Call  her  bluff." 

'*  I'm  going  to  accept  her  offer,  when  I  leave  here. 
And,  what's  more,  I  shall  see  the  certificate,"  he 
said.  "This  plot  has  been  too  well  laid  for  the 
essentials  to  have  been  overlooked.  I'll  bet  a 
twenty  you  were  in  New  York  City  on  the  twenty- 
first  of  last  December." 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "I  was.  So  it's  up  to  proving  the 
certificate  a  forgery." 

He  shook  his  head.  "I  fear  we  shall  find  it  a 
perfectly  regular  certificate." 

"You  mean,"  said  I,  "that  they  have  bribed  some 
official  to  make  a  false  record?" 

"Just  that." 

"  Then,  if  the  woman,  the  official  and  the  records 
all  convict  me,  how  am  I  to  prove  my  innocence  ?  " 
I  demanded. 

"By  waiting  for  the  enemy  to  make  a  blunder. 
They  have  already  made  one  which  results  delight 
fully  for  you." 

"I  reckon  I'm  a  trifle  thick-headed,  Courtney,'' 
I  said.  "  You'll  have  to  explain." 

"Never  mind  the  head,  old  man;  it  will  be  all 
right  to-morrow.  Their  blunder  is  in  having  un 
wittingly  sprung  their  trap  on  the  very  evening  the 
Princess  and  you  came  to  an  understanding.  Had 
they  been  even  a  few  hours  earlier  you  would  not  have 
dared  to  speak  of  love  to  her — and  so  you  might  not 


186    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

have  had  the  King's  daughter  as  a  special  advocate. 
On  the  other  hand,  had  they  waited  a  day  longer, 
your  betrothal  would,  doubtless,  have  received 
Frederick's  approval,  and  have  been  formally  pro 
claimed.  How  embarrassing,  then,  to  the  Princess; 
how  intensely  irritating  to  the  King,  and  how 
particularly  injurious  to  you  in  the  eyes  of  the 
nation — the  people  would  think  you  won  her  under 
false  colors;  and,  though  you  proved  your  innocence 
a  hundred  times,  the  taint  would  always  linger." 

"You're  right,  Courtney,"  I  exclaimed;  "right  as 
Gospel." 

"Now,  see  how  lucky  you  are:  You  have  the 
Princess — you  are  sure  of  her  and  no  one  knows  it. 
You  go  to  the  King,  to-day;  tell  him  the  whole  story 
of  the  Princess  and  you,  and  of  this  Spencer  woman's 
claim  and  history.  Ask  him  to  suspend  judgment 
until  you  can  establish  the  falsity  of  her  charge. 
If  I  know  Frederick,  you  need  have  no  fear  of  his 
answer." 

"It's  the  only  course,"  said  I;  "but,  first,  I  would 
like  to  know  the  facts  as  to  that  certificate." 

Courtney  arose.  "You  shall  have  a  copy  of  it 
before  candle-light,"  he  said.  "Where  can  I  see 
you,  if  there  is  anything  of  my  interview  with  the 
lady  I  think  you  need  to  know?" 

"Ill  be  here  at  six  o'clock,"  said  I. 

"Very  good — and,  of  course,  not  a  word  to-night 
to  the  King  as  to  Lotzen.  Let  him  guess  that  for 
himself." 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE       187 

"Trust  me,"  I  answered;  "I'm  getting  more 
awake. " 

Then  I  sent  for  Moore.  "Colonel  Moore,"  I 
said  (as  Aide  to  a  Field  Marshal  he  was  entitled 
to  a  Colonelcy,  and  had  been  gazetted  to  it  in  the 
orders  of  the  previous  evening),  "  has  the  scene  in 
the  Garden,  last  night,  become  public  talk  ?  " 

"  I  fear  so,  sir,"  he  replied. 

"  Come,  no  sugar — out  with  it. " 

"Well,  Your  Highness,  the  town  rings  with  iL 
It's  the  sensation  of  the  hour." 

"Good,"  said  I.  "The  more  they  talk,  to-day, 
the  less  they  will  talk,  to-morrow." 

I  paused,  and  looked  him  over.  He  was  a  thorough 
bred;  clean-cut,  handsome,  manly.  I  never  saw  a 
finer  figure  than  he  made  in  his  blue  and  white 
uniform. 

"Now,  why  wasn't  the  lady  sensible,  Colonel, 
and  marry  herself  to  you  instead  of  to  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

He  fairly  jumped.  "  God  forbid,"  he  exclaimed. 
Then,  he  laughed.  "Besides,  I'm  thinking,  sir,  it 
wasn't  looks  she  was  after." 

I  laughed,  too.  "Go  long  with  you,"  I  said; 
"you  deserve  court-martial." 

Then  I  sent  him  to  the  King  with  the  request  to 
be  received  at  seven  o'clock.  He  also  carried  a 
note  to  the  Princess,  telling  her  I  would  call  at 
six  thirty. 

In  due  time,  he  returned :  The  King  would  receive 
me  at  the  hour  named.  The  Princess,  however, 


188     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

sent  her  reply  by  a  footman.  It  was  a  note;  and, 
except  that  I  was  expected  for  sure  at  six  thirty,  it  is 
quite  unnecessary  to  give  its  contents.  They  were 
not  intended  for  general  circulation.  I  might  say, 
however,  that  the  note  was  eminently  satisfactory 
to  me,  and  that  I  read  it  more  than  once.  And 
it  was  in  the  inside  pocket  of  my  coat  when  I  rode 
across  to  Headquarters  to  assume  my  new  authority. 

The  ceremony  was  very  brief.  The  retiring 
Governor,  Marshal  Perdez,  with  an  Aide,  met  me  at 
the  causeway  and  escorted  me  to  the  large  audience 
chamber,  where  His  Majesty's  formal  order  was 
read.  Perdez  then  presented  his  staff,  and  the 
doors  were  thrown  open  and  I  received  the  officers 
of  the  Army  and  Navy  on  duty  at  the  Capital.  It 
was  all  over  in  an  hour,  and  I  was  alone  in  my  office 
with  Bernheim. 

I  walked  over  to  a  window  and  stood  there,  in 
wondering  reflection. 

Less  than  three  months  ago,  I  was  simply  a  Major 
in  the  American  Army,  with  small  hope  of  ever 
getting  beyond  a  Colonel's  eagles.  The  "Star" 
was  so  utterly  unlikely  that  I  never  even  considered 
the  possibility.  It  was  only  a  rainbow  or  a  mirage; 
and  I  was  not  given  to  chasing  either. 

And,  to-day,  I  looked  down  on  the  crowded  Alta 
Avenue  of  Dornlitz — then,  up  at  the  portrait  of  my 
Sovereign — then,  down  at  my  uniform,  with  a 
Marshal's  insignia  on  the  sleeve  and  the  Princess 
Royal's  note  in  the  pocket. 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE       189 

What  mirage  could  have  pictured  such  realities! 
What  rainbow  could  have  appeared  more  dazzlingly 
evanescent ! 

Then  I  saw  a  Victoria  approaching.  And  in  it 
was  the  Spencer  woman — brilliantly  beautiful — 
haughtily  indifferent.  The  passers-by  stared  at 
her;  men  stopped  and  gazed  after;  even  women  threw 
glances  over  their  shoulders.  And  small  wonder — 
for,  the  Devil  knows,  she  was  good  to  look  upon. 

As  she  came  opposite  me  she  looked  up  and  our 
eyes  met.  I  gave  no  greeting,  you  may  be  sure;  but 
sh/e  leaned  forward  sharply  and  smiled  and  waved 
her  hand.  I  gritted  my  teeth,  and  would  have 
stepped  back,  but  the  crowd,  following  her  direction, 
caught  sight  of  me  and  a  faint  cheer  went  up.  The 
men  took  off  their  hats  and  the  women  fluttered 
their  kerchiefs.  I  bowed  to  them  and  saluted  with 
my  hand. 

"  Damn  her!"  I  said,  not  knowing  I  spoke  audibly. 
Then  I  remembered  Bernheim;  he  was  standing  at 
another  window. 

"  Colonel,"  said  I,  "  did  you  see  that  woman  in  the 
Victoria  ?  " 

His  heels  came  together  with  a  click.  "Yes, 
Your  Highness. 

"  Have  you  heard  of  the  occurrence  in  the  Hanging 
Garden,  last  night  ?  " 

"Yes,  Your  Highness." 

"Well,  that's  the  lady,"  said  I.  "What  do  you 
think  of  her?" 


190     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  hesitated. 

"Speak  out,"  I  said. 

"I  think  it  is  absolutely  incomprehensible  how 
such  a  woman  would  lend  herself  to  Lotzen's  plot," 
he  answered,  instantly. 

I  looked  at  him  in  vast  surprise. 

"So,  you  have  guessed  it,"  I  said. 

"  I  know  Lotzen,  Your  Highness." 

I  motioned  to  a  chair.    "  Sit  down,"  I  said. 

Then  I  told  him  the  whole  story — saving  only  so 
much  as  concerned  the  Princess  individually.  He 
was  plainly  pleased  at  my  confidence — and  I  learned 
many  things  from  him,  that  afternoon,  which 
opened  my  eyes  concerning  some  of  the  Court 
officials  and  Ministers. 

It  was  exactly  six  o'clock  when  Courtney  was 
announced.  Even  as  he  came  into  the  room,  he 
drew  an  envelope  from  his  pocket  and  handed  it 
to  me. 

"A  copy  of  the  certificate,"  he  said. 

I  read  it  very  carefully.  In  effect,  it  certified  that 
Patrick  McGuire,  an  Alderman  of  the  City  of  New 
York,  had,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  December, 
190 — ,  in  that  City,  in  the  presence  of  John  Edwards 
of  said  City,  united  in  marriage  Armand  Dalberg, 
Major,  U.  S.  Army,  and  Madeline  Spencer,  widow, 
of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  there  appearing,  after  due 
inquiry  made,  to  be  no  legal  impediment  thereto; 
and  the  parties  thereto  having  proven,  on  oath, 
their  identity  and  their  legal  age. 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE       191 

"Well,  I'm  not  a  lawyer,"  said  I,  in  disgust; 
"but  this  thing  sounds  pretty  strong.  I  fancy  it  is 
about  as  close  as  I  shall  ever  come  to  reading  my 
own  obituary." 

"It's  more  than  strong,"  said  Courtney:  "it's  in 
strict  conformity  with  the  New  York  law. 

"But,  the  license,"  I  objected. 

"None  is  required  in  New  York." 

I  threw  up  my  hands.  "You  saw  the  original 
certificate  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes.  The  lady,  herself,  had  gone  out,  but  had 
left  it  with  her  maid.  And  I  have  not  the  least  doubt 
of  its  genuineness." 

"  Then,  we  are  up  to  Alderman  Patrick  McGuire," 
I  said. 

"I  cabled  at  noon  to  Washington  asking  the 
Department  to  obtain,  immediately,  full  information 
as  to  his  character  and  reputation." 

"Courtney,  you're  a  wonder,"  I  said. 

"  I'm  glad  you  approve,"  he  answered.  "  I  thought 
it  well  to  move  at  once,  so  the  inquiry  could  be  in 
New  York  early  this  morning;  and,  even  if  it  took 
the  whole  day  to  investigate,  the  answer  should  be 
here  by  midnight  at  the  latest." 

Just  then,  there  was  a  knock  on  the  door  and  a 
footman  entered.  . 

"For  His  Excellency,  the  American  Ambassador," 
he  said,  and  handed  Courtney  an  envelope. 

"Here  it  is,  now,"  he  said.  "Cosgrove  has 
hurried  it  to  me." 


192     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Crossing  to  my  desk  he  ran  a  knife  under  the  flap 
and  drew  out  a  cablegram,  glanced  at  it  an  instant, 
then,  gave  it  to  me  without  comment. 

It  was  in  cipher,  of  course ;  but,  below  it,  Cosgrove 
had  written  the  translation.  It  read : 

"  Individual  named  was  killed  last  week  by  car  at 
Twenty-third  Street  and  Broadway.  Character  and 
reputation  only  ordinary.  Integrity  very  doubtful. 
A  professional  ward  politician." 

"So,"  said  I.  "Exit  the  Alderman.  It's  a  crying 
pity  that  car  didn't  get  in  its  work  four  months  ago." 

"Let  us  be  thankful  for  what  it  did  do,  last 
week." 

"  One  lying  mouth  stopped,"  said  I. 

He  nodded.  "  And  only  an  inferior  reputation  left 
to  bolster  up  his  certificate." 

I  looked  again  at  the  copy.  "  I  wonder  if  that  car, 
by  any  possibility,  might  have  hit  Witness,  John 
Edwards,  too  ?  " 

Courtney  smiled.  "  It's  dollars  to  nickels  the  same 
blow  killed  them  both." 

"  Then,  it's  my  word  against  hers  and  the  certifi 
cate." 

"Not  exactly.  It's  her  word,  her  beauty  and  the 
certificate  against  your  word,  its  corroborating 
circumstances  and  her  history." 

"That  sounds  logical,"  said  I;  "and  yet,  in  fact, 
if  there  were  nothing  but  her  word  it  would  still  win 
out  for  Lotzen.  I  may  not  marry  the  Princess  so  long 
as  another  woman  claims  to  be  my  wife." 


HER  WORD  AND  CERTIFICATE       193 

Courtney  frowned.  "  But,  if  you  prove  her  a  liar 
by  cold  facts  ?  " 

"It  will  not  suffice,"  said  I.  "All  doubt  must  be 
removed.  She  must  admit  her — error." 

He  raised  his  eyebrows,  and  out  came  the  cigarette 
case. 

"Then,  do  you  appreciate  that,  until  she  does, 
you  will  have  the  disagreeable  duty  of  preventing 
her  from  departing  the  Capital — certainly  the 
Kingdom  ?  " 

"Practically  that,"  I  admitted.  "I  have  already 
directed  that  she  be  not  permitted  to  leave  Dorn- 
litz." 

He  shook  his  head.  "  There,  you  send  me  over  to 
the  Enemy.  If  she  appeal  to  the  Embassy  I  may  not 
suffer  her  to  be  restrained.  She  is  an  American 
subject." 

"Not  at  all,"  said  I.  "If  she  be  my  wife,  she  is  a 
subject  of  His  Majesty,  Frederick  the  Third." 

"Come,  Major,  that's  not  half  bad,"  he  laughed. 
"  And  I'll  stand  on  it,  too.  So  long  as  the  lady  claims 
to  be  the  wife  of  a  Grand  Duke  of  Valeria,  the 
American  Ambassador  will  absolutely  decline  to 
interfere  in  her  behalf." 

"  She  may  get  powerfully  tired  of  having  me  for  a 
husband,"  I  observed. 

He  studied  the  smoke-rings  a  bit. 

"  I  wonder  just  how  far  it  would  be  well  for  you  to 
play  the  husband  ?  "  he  mused. 

"  What's  that  ?  "  I  almost  shouted. 
13 


194    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  mean,  how  far  would  she  be  willing  to  go  in 
this  wife  business  ?  " 

"  God  knows — but  the  whole  way,  I  fancy." 

"Would  it  be  worth  while  to  bluff  her  by  pre 
tending  to  acknowledge  her  claim  and,  then,  inviting 
her  to  take  her  place  at  the  head  of  your  establish 
ment  ?  " 

"Acknowledge  her!  Not  for  the  millionth  of 
a  second." 

"  Oh,  I  mean  only  before  witnesses  who  understood 
the  scheme." 

"You  don't  know  the  lady,  Courtney,"  I  answered. 
"She  would  call  the  bluff  instantly — and  do  it  so 
well  the  witnesses,  themselves,  would  be  deceived 
and  turned  against  me." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Lotzen  seems  to  be 
uncommonly  lucky  in  his  leading  woman,"  he 
observed. 

0  The  Devil  usually  helps  his  own,"  said  I. 

Then,  I  hastened  to  the  Palace. 


XVI 

THE  PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE 

DEHRA  was  alone  in  her  library,  and  she  came 
forward  with  both  hands  extended. 

"It  has  been  a  long  day,  Armand,"  she  said. 

I  took  her  hands  and  kissed  first  one  and  then 
the  other. 

"  Yes,  dear  one,  it  has  been  a  long  day,"  I  said. 

I  led  her  to  a  chair  and  stood  before  her.  She  held 
up  her  hands  and  regarded  them  critically.  Then 
she  looked  up  at  me  with  quizzical  eyes. 

"  You  h'ke  my  hands  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Yes,  dear." 

"  Better  than  my  h'ps  ?  " 

"No,  dear." 

"  Well,  one  might  think  so.  But,  if  you  don't,  then, 
sir,  I'm  waiting."  Her  peremptoriness  was  very  sweet. 

I  had  gone  there  determined  to  take  no  lover's 
privileges  until  the  cloud  I  was  under  had  been 
removed.  But,  what  would  you!  I  was  not  stone, 
nor  ice — and,  no  more  was  the  Princess. 

"You  are  a  very  imperious  little  sweetheart,"  I 
said,  and  kissed  her;  and  whether  once  or  twice  or 
oftener  does  not  matter. 

195 


196    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

.She  drew  me  down  on  the  arm  of  the  chair. 

"I  know  what  was  in  your  mind,  dear,"  she  said; 
"and  it's  very  good  of  you;  yet,  we  settled  all  that 
last  night.  I  don't  care  a  rap  for  that  woman. " 

I  let  my  fingers  stray  softly  through  her  hair. 

"Not  even  if  she  have  legal  proof  I  am  her  hus 
band  ?  "  I  asked. 

"You  mean  that  certificate,"  she  cut  in.  "Have 
you  seen  it  ?  " 

"Courtney  has;  and  it's  very  regular  and  very 
formidable." 

She  tossed  her  head  sharply. 

"  It  certifies  a  lie.  I  wouldn't  believe  a  hundred  of 
them." 

"You're  a  wonder,  Dehra;  a  perfect  wonder,"  I 
said.  "  Why  should  you  trust  me  so  ?  " 

She  looked  up  with  one  of  those  subduing  smiles. 

"I  don't  know,  dear,"  she  said.  "I  have  not 
bothered  to  analyze  it.  It's  enough  for  me  that 
I  do." 

"And  enough  for  me,  too,  sweetheart,"  I  said  and 
bent  and  caressed  her  cheek. 

When  I  raised  my  head,  the  King  was  standing  in 
the  doorway.  I  sprang  up  and  saluted. 

"I  assume  you  were  not  expecting  me,"  he 
remarked,  looking  straight  at  me. 

"Your  Majesty's  logic  is  faultless,"  I  replied — 
and  I  saw  the  Princess  smile. 

He  came  nearer  and  let  his  eyes  search  my  face  a 
moment. 


PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE     197 

"  Can  you  say  as  much  for  your  conduct  just  now, 
my  Lord  Duke  ?  "  he  demanded. 

I  gave  him  look  for  look. 

"If  judged  upon  the  true  facts  I  can,"  I  answered. 

He  studied  me  a  moment  longer;  then,  motioned  to 
a  chair.  As  I  made  to  take  it,  Dehra  caught  my 
hand. 

"Sit  here,  Armand,"  she  commanded,  touching 
the  arm  of  her  own  chair. 

I  hesitated;  and  the  King  regarded  her  in  stern 
surprise.  Then  I  smiled  a  negation  and  went  on  to 
the  place  Frederick  had  indicated.  Straightway, 
Dehra  got  up  and,  coming  behind  me  and  leaning  on 
the  chair  back,  she  put  her  arms  about  my  neck. 

I  reached  up  and  took  her  hand — then,  arose  and 
stood  beside  her. 

"You  see,  Your  Majesty,"  said  she,  with  calm 
finality,  "  I  know  the  true  facts." 

For  a  space,  Frederick's  face  remained  absolutely 
expressionless;  then,  it  slowly  softened. 

"  It  seems  to  me  there  are  a  few  facts  which  I,  too, 
might,  possibly,  be  permitted  to  know,"  he  said. 

I  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"It  was  to  tell  Your  Majesty  those  very  facts 
that  I  sought  an  audience,  this  evening,"  I  said. 

Just  then  a  clock  began  to  chime  slowly  the  hour. 
The  king  waited  until  the  last  stroke — the  seventh- 
had  sounded,  then,  he  nodded. 

"I  am  listening,  Marshal,"  he  said  briskly. 

It  might  be  that,  after  one  has  asked  twelve  or 


198    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

thirteen  fathers  for  a  daughter,  in  marriage,  he  has 
got  sufficiently  hardened  to  confront  the  fourteenth 
with,  at  least,  a  show  of  indifference;  but,  as  this  was 
my  first  father,  I  admit  I  was  a  trifle  uneasy  along 
the  spine;  and,  somehow,  my  voice  seemed  to  get 
lost  in  my  throat,  and  the  words  were  very  reluctant 
in  coming.  I  suppose  Frederick  saw  my  embar 
rassment  for  he  smiled  broadly. 

"Come,  Armand,"  he  said;  "pull  up  that  chair. 
I  suppose  we  may  not  smoke  here,"  he  added; 
"though  I  think  I  detect  the  faint  suggestion  of  a 
miserable  cigarette,"  and  he  looked  at  the  Princess. 

Dehra  took  a  tiny  jeweled  case  from  somewhere 
about  her  gown  and  offered  it  to  the  King. 

"  Will  Your  Majesty  try  a  Nestor  ?  "  she  said. 

Frederick  shook  his  head  in  repugnance. 

"  His  Majesty,  most  certainly,  will  not,"  he  said. 

"But  His  Majesty's  daughter  will — with  his 
permission." 

Frederick  laughed.  "Or,  without  it,  if  need  be," 
he  said.  "She  is  a  very  headstrong  young  woman, 
Armand,"  he  observed  to  me. 

"So  His  Highness  has  already  done  himself  the 
honor  to  tell  me,"  said  she  airily. 

"  Good ! "  said  the  King.    "  I  admire  his  pluck." 

Dehra  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  at  me. 

"So  do  I,"  she  answered. 

Then  she  went  over  and  kissed  the  King. 

"Be  nice  to  Armand,"  she  whispered  (but  loud 
enough  for  me  to  hear)  and  left  the  room,  flinging 


PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE     199 

me  a  farewell  from  her  finger  tips,  as  I  held  back 
Ihe  portiere. 

And  Frederick  continued  to  smile,  and  my  courage 
grew  proportionately.  I  came  straight  to  the  point. 

"May  it  please  you,  Sire,"  I  said,  "I  have  the 
honor  to  pray  the  hand  of  the  Princess  Royal  in 
marriage." 

The  King's  smile  faded;  and  his  eyes  travelled 
slowly  from  my  head  to  my  feet  and  back  again  to 
my  head,  for  all  the  world  as  though  I  were  on 
inspection-parade. 

I  knew  what  was  in  his  mind  and  my  courage 
evaporated  instantly.  I  began  to  feel  like  a  soldier 
caught  with  uniform  awry  and  equipment  tarnished. 

"  Do  you  give  me  your  word,  sir,  that  you  are  free 
to  marry  her  ?  "  he  demanded,  suddenly. 

"On  my  honor,  as  an  officer  and  a  Dalberg,"  I 
answered. 

Instantly  his  manner  changed. 

"That's  quite  enough,  lad,"  he  said.  "If  the 
Princess  wants  you — and  it  would  seem  she  does — I 
shall  not  say  her  nay.  Maybe,  I  am  rather  glad  to 
say  yes." 

I  tried  to  thank  him,  but  he  would  not  let  me. 

"It's  a  matter  for  the  two  most  concerned  to 
arrange,"  he  declared  "I  never  did  fancy  these 
loveless  royal  marriages.  They  are  very  little  better 
than  false  ones."  Then  he  laughed.  "Tell  me 
about  this  one  of  yours,"  he  said,*  "the  'true  facts' 
as  you  called  them." 


200    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

So,  I  told  him,  in  detail,  of  the  supper  in  the 
Garden,  the  astonishing  accusation  of  the  Spencer 
woman,  and  of  what  I  knew  concerning  her  in 
America.  It,  was  a  long  story,  but  Frederick's 
interest  never  dulled.  At  the  end,  I  handed  him  the 
copy  of  the  marriage  certificate  and  the  cablegram 
to  Courtney.  He  read  them  very  carefully;  then 
smoked  awhile,  in  silence. 

"I  suppose  you  have  your  own  notion  as  to  this 
woman's  motive  ? "  he  said. 

"Yes,"  I  answered. 

"  Do  you  care  to  give  it  to  me  ? " 

I  let  him  see  my  hesitation. 

"  Well,  I  think  it  is  not  entirely  revenge,"  I  said. 

"It  might  even  be  that  she  is  only  playing  the 
cards  someone  else  has  dealt  her,"  he  said 
significantly. 

I  smiled  and  made  no  answer. 

"  They  are  mighty  strong  cards,  Armand,"  he  said. 

"And  a  mighty  strong  player  holds  them,"  I 
added.  "More's  the  pity." 

He  nodded.  "  I  saw  the  lady  this  afternoon  in  the 
Park.  I  rather  fancy  almost  any  man  would  be 
quite  willing  to  have  her  claim  him  as  her  husband." 

"And,  therefore,  her  story  will  be  very  generally 
accepted,"  I  said. 

"Doubtless — it's  far  easier  to  accept  it  than  to 
disbelieve  it." 

"Consequently,  if  it  please  you,  Sire,  let  my 
betrothal  to  Her  Royal  Highness  remain  secret 


PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE    201 

until  this  woman's  claim  has  been  thoroughly 
disproved." 

Frederick  thought  a  moment.  "You  are  entirely 
right,"  he  said;  "and,  particularly,  since,  under 
old  Henry's  Decree,  she  would  be  your  legal  wife — 
assuming,  that  is,  that  you  had  married  her."  Then 
he  smiled.  "You  see,  sir,  the  very  thing  you  were 
so  insistent  upon,  now  works  to  your  disadvantage. 
If  it  were  not  for  that  Decree  you  could  laugh  at  this 
woman.  I  could  simply  pronounce  her  morganatic, 
and  you  would  be  quite  free  to  marry  Dehra,  at 
once." 

But  I  shook  my  head.  "I  must  bring  Dehra  a 
clean  record,"  I  said;  "and  I  have  no  fault  to  find 
with  that  Decree.  But  for  it,  I  would  not  be  here — 
though,  neither  would  Madame  Spencer,"  I  added 
inadvertently. 

The  King  stared  at  me. 

"You  don't  think  she  knows  the  Decree,"  he 
exclaimed. 

"I  think  she  never  heard  of  the  Laws  of  the 
Dalbergs,"  I  answered.  "I  mean  that  it  was  my 
being  here  that  brought  her." 

Again  the  King  smiled. 

"  What  you  mean  is  that  she  would  not  be  here 
but  for  the  fact  that  by  Henry's  Decree  she  would  be 
your  lawful  wife  and  I  powerless  to  interfere." 

I  made  no  answer.  I  was  rather  anxious  for  him 
to  pursue  the  premise  to  its  conclusion. 

**  You  see  where  that  deduction  leads,"  he  went  on: 


202     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"only  Dehra  and  Lotzen  know  the  Laws  of  our 
House." 

"  I  ask  Your  Majesty  to  observe  that  I  have  made 
no  deduction,"  I  said. 

He  stopped  short  and  looked  at  me,  a  moment. 

"Quite  right,"  he  said;  "and  it's  proper  you 
should  not  to  me.  But,  I  suppose  you  will  concede 
it  was  not  the  Princess." 

"  Certainly,"  I  agreed. 

"  Ergo — it  must  have  been " 

"I  stop  at  the  Princess,"  said  I. 

He  sat  silent,  frowning  very  slightly. 

"If  I  were  quite  sure  that  Lotzen  were  the  insti 
gator  of  this  plot,  I  would  remove  him  utterly  from 
the  line  of  succession  and  banish  him  from  the 
Kingdom." 

I  thought  it  a  proper  time  for  me  to  be  very  quiet. 

"In  the  meantime,  however,  I  shall  send  that 
infernal  woman  packing  over  the  border  by  the 
quickest  route,"  he  said  vehemently. 

"I  trust  not,  Sire,"  I  said.  "As  Governor  of 
Dornlitz,  I  gave  orders,  this  morning,  that  she  be 
not  permitted  to  leave  the  Capital." 

"But,  she's  an  American  subject!"  he  exclaimed. 
"She  can't  be  held  prisoner." 

"  If  she's  my  wife,  she's  a  subject  of  Your  Majesty." 

"  True !    But  why  do  you  want  to  keep  her  here  ?  " 

"To  give  time  to  investigate  her  doings  since 
I  became  an  Archduke,"  I  said.  "I  may  not  marry 
Dehra  in  the  face  of  that  certificate  and  old  Henry's 


PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE    203 

Decree;  and,  since  the  Alderman  is  dead,  only 
through  Madeline  Spencer  herself  can  the  falsity  of 
her  claim  be  shown.  Every  moment  here  she  must 
act  her  part  and  be  under  our  constant  surveillance. 
Sometime,  she  is  sure  to  make  a  slip  or  forget  her 
lines.  But,  let  her  be  at  large  and,  with  plenty  of 
funds  at  her  command,  she  will  be  a  will-o-the-wisp, 
to  be  followed  over  the  world  for  years — and  her 
slips  will  be  few  and  very  far  between,  and  with  no 
one  there  to  note  them." 

"Very  good,"  said  Frederick;  "keep  her  or  send 
her,  as  you  see  fit — only,  don't  embroil  me  with 
America,  if  you  can  avoid  it." 

"There  is  no  danger,"  I  assured  him.  "Courtney 
says  he  will  not  interfere,  so  long  as  she  claims  to  be 
my  wife." 

Frederick  laughed.  "Courtney's  a  friend,"  he 
said  heartily. 

"None  better  lives,"  I  replied. 

He  lit  a  fresh  cigar  and  studied  the  coal,  a  bit. 

"I  wish  you  would  tell  me,"  he  said,  "whether 
you  have  any  evidence  connecting  Lotzen  with  this 
matter." 

"  Not  a  scrap  nor  a  syllable,"  I  answered  promptly. 

"  Has  he  ever  exhibited  any  ill  will  toward  you  ?  " 

"None,  whatever.  On  the  contrary,  he  has  been 
uniformly  courteous  and  considerate — and  I  have 
told  you  of  his  action,  last  night,  at  the  supper." 

"  All  of  which  is  just  what  he  would  do  if  he  were 
guilty,"  was  the  answer.  "No,  no,  Armand;  your 


204    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

refusal  to  implicate  Lotzen  does  you  credit,  but  this 
attack  on  you  comes  at  such  an  opportune  moment, 
for  him,  that  he  may  not  escape  the  suspicion  which 
it  breeds.  I  don't  want  to  believe  him  guilty, 
yet "  and  he  raised  his  hands  expressively. 

Then  the  portieres  parted  and  the  Princess  stood 
in  the  doorway.  Frederick  saw  her. 

"Come  in,  Your  Highness,"  he  said. 

She  crossed  to  him  and  patted  his  cheek. 

"  Have  you  been  nice  to  Armand  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  He  seemed  to  think  so.  I  told  him  he  might  have 
you." 

"You  dear  old  father!"  she  exclaimed;  and 
slipping  to  his  knee,  she  gave  him  a  long  hug. 

"Hold  on,  daughter;  there  are  two  conditions," 
he  said.  "One  is  that  you  order  Armand  about, 
now,  instead  of  your  Father." 

"Oh,  don't  worry  about  me,  Sire,"  said  she, 
"I'm  quite  able  to  order  you  both." 

"  There's  not  a  grain  of  doubt  of  that.  But,  you 
would  better  hold  off  on  Armand  until  you  have  him 
safely  tied  up;  he  may  rue  bargain." 

"I  fancy  I  can  wait  that  very  short  time,"  she 
laughed,  looking  at  me. 

"  But,  maybe,  it  won't  be  a  very  short  time,"  the 
King  remarked. 

She  tossed  her  head. 

"  It's  the  woman's  privilege  to  fix  the  day." 

"Which  brings  me  to  the  second  condition," 
said  he;  "that,  until  the  present  wife,  which  some  one 


PRINCESS  ROYAL  SITS  AS  JUDGE     205 

seems  to  have  provided  for  Armand,  has  beea 
eliminated,  not  only  may  there  be  no  marriage, 
but  the  betrothal,  itself,  must  remain  a  secret  with 
us  three." 

"  But  she's  not  his  wife! "  Dehra  exclaimed. 

"No,"  said  the  King,  "she  is  not  his  wife.  If  I 
thought  she  were,  there  would  be  no  betrothal." 

Dehra 's  small  foot  began  to  tap  the  floor. 

"I  have  told  Armand  I  don't  care  a  rap  for  that 
woman,"  she  answered.  "And  if,  as  Your  Majesty 
admits,  she  is  not  his  wife,  why  should  she  be  per 
mitted  to  control  the  situation  to  her  own  liking  ?  " 

The  King  looked  at  me  with  an  amused  smile. 

"There,  sir,"  said  he,  "you  see  what  an  unreason 
able  little  woman  you're  seeking  to  marry." 

I  leaned  forward  and  took  Dehra 's  hand. 

"I  think  I  rather  like  this  particular  sort  of 
unreasonableness,"  I  said.  Then,  to  her,  I  added: 
"But  I  must  endorse  His  Majesty's  second  con 
dition." 

She  frowned;  then  seated  herself  on  one  end  of 
the  high  writing  table. 

"I  am  prepared  to  hear  your  arguments,  mes 
sieurs,"  she  said.  "Pray  proceed  and  be  brief." 

The  King  nodded  to  me. 

"You  have  the  opening,"  he  said. 

So,  I  explained  the  whole  matter,  as  best  I  could, 
and  the  reasons  which  moved  the  King  and  me  in  our 
decision  as  to  the  betrothal  remaining  secret  and  the 
marriage  deferred 


206    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Dehra  heard  me  through  without  comment;  then 
she  turned  to  the  King. 

"May  it  please  your  Honoress,"  said  Frederick, 
"  I  cannot  do  more  than  endorse  and  support  all  that 
my  colleague  has  so  ably  presented.  We  appeal  to 
the  Court's  well-known  sense  of  propriety,  and 
throw  ourselves  upon  her  mercy." 

"  We  have  been  much  impressed  by  the  argument 
of  the  learned  counsel,"  said  Dehra,  in  formal 
tones,  "and,  while  not  agreeing  with  all  that  it 
contained,  yet,  we  are  disposed  to  regard  it,  in  the 
main,  as  sound.  The  second  condition  is  therefore 
sustained. — But,  I  wish  I  could  tell  that  woman  what 
I  think  of  her! "  she  exclaimed. 

"God  forbid!"  the  King  ejaculated. 

Dehra  went  over  and  kissed  him. 

"You're  a  dear,"  she  said. 

Then,  she  came  across  to  me. 

"And  what  is  he?"  asked  Frederick,  with  a 
laugh. 

She  drew  back  quickly. 

"  According  to  his  argument,  he  is  only  my  cousin, 
the  Grand  Duke  Armand,"  she  answered. 

"  But,  you  said  you  did  not  agree  with  part  of  my 
argument,"  I  objected. 

"Did  I? — Well,  then,  that  must  have  been  the 
part,"  she  said. 

The  King  arose. 

"I  think  it's  time  for  me  to  go,"  he  said. 


XVII 

PITCH  AND  Toss 

THE  following  morning,  I  cabled  a  detective 
agency,  in  New  York,  giving  them  all  the  material 
facts  in  the  case  and  requesting  them  to  make  an 
exhaustive  investigation  of  the  movements  of  Made 
line  Spencer  during  the  period  intervening  between 
my  confirmation  as  an  Archduke  and  her  sailing  for 
Europe.  I  told  them  I  required  evidence,  promptly, 
to  disprove  the  marriage,  and  gave  them  carte 
blanche  in  its  gathering.  At  the  same  time,  I  wired 
a  prominent  Army  officer,  at  Governor's  Island,  to 
vouch  for  my  order.  I  wanted  no  time  lost  while  the 
Agency  was  investigating  me. 

Of  course,  the  natural  method  would  have  been  to 
direct  the  Valerian  Ambassador,  at  Washington, 
to  procure  the  information;  but,  I  felt  quite  sure, 
that  would  simply  be  playing  into  Lotzen's  hand. 
Some  one  in  the  Embassy  would  be  very  willing 
to  oblige  the  Heir  Presumptive  by  betraying  me. 
And  it  was  only  reasonable  to  suppose  the  Duke 
had  already  arranged  for  it.  It  was  one  of  those 
"  trifles  "  which,  as  Courtney  had  said,  would  not  be 
overlooked. 

207 


208     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

About  noon,  Bernheim  came  in  with  a  card  in  his 
fingers  and  a  queer  smile  about  his  firm-set  lips. 

I  took  the  card. 

"The  devil!"  I  exclaimed.  Then  I  looked  at 
Bernheim.  "What's  the  move,  now?" 

"  That  is  what  I  tried  to  find  out,  sir,"  he  answered. 

"And  failed?' 

"Completely.  And,  yet,  I  didn't  dare  to  dismiss 
her  without  your  direct  order." 

"As  she  well  knew." 

"And  as  she  had  the  effrontery  to  tell  me,"  he 
added. 

I  laughed.  "And  did  it  very  prettily,  too,  I'll 
wager." 

"Quite  too  prettily.  'Come,  Colonel  Bernheim,' 
she  said,  looking  me  straight  in  the  eyes,  and  smiling 
sweetly  enough  to  turn  most  any  man's  head,  'you 
want  to  refuse  to  let  me  see  the  Marshal,  but,  you 
know  perfectly  well,  you  dare  not.  He  might  be 
glad  for  a  word  with  me  in  private ;  and  then,  again, 
he  might  not — but  you  don't  know  and  you  are 
afraid  to  risk  it  Voila!'  And  then  she  laughed." 

"Well,"  said  I,  "I  can't  imagine  what  she  wants, 
but  you  may  admit  her — Stay  a  moment — could 
you  manage  to  overhear  the  conversation  ?  " 

"  Only  by  leaving  the  door  ajar." 

"Well,  do  what  you  can,"  I  said. 

I  was  curious  by  what  name  he  would  announce 
the  lady;  but  he  used  none.  He  simply  swung  back 
the  door  and  spoke  into  the  outer  room : 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  209 

"Madame,  His  Royal  Highness  will  receive  you." 

"You  are  most  kind,  Colonel  Bernheim,"  she  said, 
in  her  sweetest  tones,  as  she  passed  him ;  "  I  owe  you 
many  thanks. " 

"You  owe  me  none,  madame,"  was  the  rather 
gruff  answer. 

Then  he  went  out,  and  closed  the  door  with 
altogether  unnecessary  vigor. 

She  turned  and  looked  after  him. 

"What  a  great  bear  he  is,  Armand,"  she  said, 
with  a  confidential  air. 

I  stiffened.  "  You  wished  to  see  me,  Mrs.  Spencer," 
I  said. 

She  laughed.  "Still  denying  me,  are  you?"  she 
rippled — "  And  even  in  your  own  private  office ! " 

I  looked  at  her,  in  silence. 

"Please  don't  trouble  to  offer  me  a  chair,  dear," 
she  went  on;  "this  one  looks  comfortable," — then 
calmly  seated  herself,  and  began  to  draw  off  her 
gloves. 

The  cool  assurance  of  the  woman  was  so  absurd  I 
had  to  smile. 

"  I  fancy  it  would  be  quite  superfluous  to  offer  you 
anything  that  chanced  to  be  within  your  reach," 
I  said. 

"Certainly,  dear,  when,  at  the  same  time,  it 
chances  to  be  my  husband's,"  she  answered,  and  fell 
to  smoothing  out  her  gloves. 

"Come,  come!"  I  exclaimed.     "What's  the  sense 
in  keeping  up  the  farce  ?  " 
14 


210     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  What  farce,  Armand,  dear  ?  " 

"That  I  am  your  husband,"  I  answered  curtly. 
Her  '  dears '  and  her  '  Armands '  were  getting  on  my 
nerves. 

Her  face  took  on  an  injured  look. 

"Judging  from  your  action,  the  other  night  and 
now,  it  would  be  well  for  me  if  it  were  a  farce,"  she 
said  sadly. 

I  walked  over  to  the  table,  on  the  far  side  of  which 
she  sat. 

"  Is  it  possible,  madame,  that,  here,  alone  with  me, 
you  still  have  the  effrontery  to  maintain  you  are  my 
wife?" 

She  put  her  elbows  on  the  table  and,  resting  her 
chin  in  her  hands,  looked  me  straight  in  the  eyes. 

"And  do  you,  sir,  here,  alone  with  me,  still  have 
the  effrontery  to  maintain  that  I  am  not  your  wife  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"It's  not  necessary,"  said  I,  "for  you  know  it 
quite  as  well  as  I  do." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "You're  a  good  bU 
of  a  brute,  Armand." 

"And  you're  a "  I  began  quickly — then 

stopped. 

"  Yes  ?  "  she  inflected.    "  I  am  a ?  " 

"I  leave  the  blank  to  your  own  filling,"  I  said, 
with  a  bow. 

She  laughed  gayly.  "Do  you  know  you  have 
played  this  scene  very  nicely,  my  dear,"  she  said. 
"If  Colonel  Bernheim  has  chanced  to  stay  close 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  211 

enough  to  the  door,  he  so  neatly  slammed  ajar, 
he  has  heard  all  that  we  have  said.  Though,  whether 
it  was  by  your  order  or  due  to  his  own  curiosity,  I,  of 
course,  do  not  know.  Either  way,  however,  you 
scored  with  him." 

I  was  so  sure  that  Bernheim  would  now  be  far 
enough  away  from  the  door  that  I  reached  across 
and  flung  it  back. 

The  ante-room  was  empty,  and,  through  its 
open  doorway,  we  could  see  Bernheim  and  Moore 
coming  slowly  down  the  corridor  and  twenty  feet 
away. 

But  she  only  laughed  again. 

"  Which  simply  proves  Colonel  Bernheim 's  wonder 
ful  agility,"  she  said.  "He  must  be  a  most  valuable 
Aide." 

I  closed  the  door. 

"We  are  drifting  from  the  point,"  I  said.  "You 
did  me  the  honor  to  request  an  interview." 

"  Not  exactly,  my  dear  Armand.  I  sought  admit 
tance  to  my  husband." 

"  By  '  husband '  you  mean ?  "  I  asked. 

She  smiled  tolerantly.  "  By  all  means,  keep  up  the 
play,"  she  said;  "but  we  shall  save  time  and  energy 
by  assuming  that,  whenever  I  speak  of  my  husband, 
I  mean  you." 

"I  take  it,  we  may  also  assume  that  you  did  not 
seek  such  admission  to  me  for  the  sole  pleasure  of 
looking  at  me  ? "  I  said. 

"  Quite  right,  Armand;  though  there  was  a  time — 


212     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

and  not  so  long  ago — when  we  both  were  more  than 
glad  to  look  at  each  other. — And,  maybe,  I  have 
not  changed."  And  she  leaned  forward  and  smiled 
with  the  frankness  of  a  sweet-faced  child. 

I  made  a  gesture  of  repugnance. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  ma  dame,  lay  aside  this 
simulated  sentiment  and  be  good  enough  to  come  to 
the  point." 

"The  point? — the  point?"  she  replied  absently. 
"True,  I  was  forgetting — the  sight  of  you,  dear, 
always  stirs  me  so.  I  came  here  very  angry  with  you, 
and,  now,  I  have  almost  forgiven  you." 

I  put  my  finger  on  the  electric  button,  and  Colonel 
Moore  responded. 

"Mrs.  Spencer  desires  her  carriage,"  I  said. 

She  gave  him  one  of  her  sweetest  smiles. 

"It's  too  bad,  Colonel  Moore,  that  I  am  always 
imposed  upon  you  when  your  chief  sends  me  from  his 
august  presence;"  and  she  held  out  her  hand  to  him. 

Moore's  bow  over  it  was  positively  blarneying  in 
its  deference. 

"It  is  a  great  pleasure,  I  assure  you,"  he  said. 

She  shook  her  head  at  him. 

"Rather  double  entendre,  Colonel." 

"Madame  knows  it  was  not  so  meant,"  was  the 
quick  reply. 

She  gave  him  a  glance  of  amused  indifference; 
then  arose. 

"  And  Your  Royal  Highness  does  not  wish  to  hear 
my  particular  errand  ?  "  she  said. 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  213 

"  No  more  than  before  you— entered,"  I 
replied. 

"Intruded,  you  mean." 

"Possibly,  that  would  be  more  accurate,"  I 
admitted. 

She  gave  a  sarcastic  laugh. 

"Your  royalty  seems  to  have  been  fatal  to  your 
courtesy." 

"  At  least,  there  is  one  particular  instance  in  which 
it  seems  to  have  increased  my  forbearance." 

She  gathered  up  her  skirts,  as  though  to  go — 
then  turned. 

"  And  that  instance  is  myself  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Your  intuition  is  marvellous,"  I  replied. 

She  sat  down  on  the  chair  arm. 

"But,  why  do  you  forbear,  my  dear?"  she  said. 
"  If  I  am  not  your  wife,  why  don't  you  do  something 
to  prove  it  ?  " 

"  What,  for  example  ?  "    I  inquired. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "  How  ingenious  you 
are,  Armand!  You  would  even  have  me  believe 
that,  having  decided  to  deny  me,  you  did  not,  also, 
arrange  how  to  proceed  when  I  appeared." 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Spencer,  I  said,  the  other  night, 
that  you  were  a  great  actress;  permit  me  to  repeat  it." 

"It  is  very  easy  to  act  the  truth,  Armand,"  she 
answered. 

"And  your  appearance  in  Dornlitz  is,  I  suppose, 
in  the  interest  of  truth  ?  "  I  mocked. 

She  looked  at  me  very  steadily,  a  moment. 


S14    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"At  any  rate,  you  must  admit  it  was  well  for 
truth  and  decency  that  I  did  appear." 

"We  but  waste  each  other's  time,  Mrs.  Spencer,*1 
I  answered  curtly,  and  nodded  to  Moore. 

But  she  gave  no  heed  to  the  Aide's  proffered  arm. 
She  did  not  even  glance  at  him,  but  leaned  back 
on  the  chair,  swinging  her  foot  and  looking  as  inso 
lently  tantalizing  as  possible.  It  was  a  very  pretty 
pose. 

"I  may  be  very  stupid,  Armand,"  she  said,  "but, 
I  cannot  understand  why,  if  my  presence  in  Dorn- 
litz  is  so  annoying  to  you,  you  prevent  me 
leaving  it." 

I  smiled.  "  At  last,"  said  I,  "  we  are  coming  to  the 
point." 

"As  though  you  hadn't  guessed  it  from  the  first," 
she  laughed. 

"Unfortunately,  I  have  not  Mrs.  Spencer's 
keenness  of  intuition,"  I  returned. 

She  glanced  over  at  my  desk. 

"The  Governor  of  Dornlitz  needs  none.  Official 
reports  are  better  than  intuition." 

"  But  not  so  rapid,"  I  replied. 

She  smiled.  "I  was  looking  at  the  telephone," 
she  said  dryly. 

"An  admirable  medium  for  unpleasant  conver 
sations,"  I  observed. 

"  Particularly,  between  husband  and  wife,  you 
mean." 

I  answered  with  a  shrug. 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  215 

"And,  also,  between  the  city  gates  and  head 
quarters,"  she  continued. 

"You  are  pleased  to  speak  in  riddles,"  I  said. 

She  let  herself  sink,  with  sinuous  grace,  into  the 
chair. 

I  sighed,  with  suggestive  audibility,  and  waited. 

It  was  a  good  deal  of  a  cat  and  dog  business — and 
the  cat  was  having  all  the  fun — and  knew  it. 

I  could  not  well  have  her  dragged  from  the 
room;  and  the  other  alternative — to  leave,  myself — 
was  not  to  my  taste.  It  looked  too  much  like 
flight. 

"I  wish  you  would  explain  why  I  am  not  per 
mitted  to  leave  Dornlitz,"  she  said. 

"Have  you  been  restrained  from  leaving?"  I 
asked. 

"Still  pretending  ignorance,  my  dear,"  she 
laughed.  "Well,  then,  I  was  refused  exit  at  the 
North  gate  this  morning;  and  that,  though  I  was 
only  going  for  a  short  drive  in  the  country." 

"  Why  didn't  you  try  another  gate  ?  "  I  asked. 

"I  did— three  others." 

"  With  similar  results  ?  " 

"Absolutely." 

"  Therefore,  you  inferred  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Nothing,  my  dear  Armand,  nothing.  I  know. 
At  one  of  the  gates,  the  officer  condescended  to  tell 
me  that  he  was  acting  under  the  express  order  of 
Field  Marshal,  His  Royal  Highness  the  Governor  of 
Dornlitz. " 


216     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"And  he  told  you  the  truth,"  I  said. 

"Of  course  he  did,"  she  laughed.  "I  never 
doubted  it.  What  I  want  to  know  is  your  reason  for 
the  order." 

"  And  that  is  what  brought  you  here  ?  "  I  asked. 

"That — and  the  pleasure  of  seeing  my  dear 
husband,"  she  drawled. 

"I'll  make  a  bargai^  with  you,  Mrs.  Spencer," 
I  said:  "My  motive  for  the  order,  in  exchange,  in 
strict  confidence,  for  your  motive  for  coming  to 
Dornlitz." 

Of  course,  I  had  no  notion  she  would  disclose  the 
actual  motive  in  the  plot.  What  I  was  after  was  the 
story  they  had  prepared  to  explain  why  I  came  to 
Valeria  alone  and  left  her  to  follow  and,  in  the 
interim,  posed  as  a  bachelor. 

"Surely,  Armand,  you're  not  serious!"  she 
exclaimed. 

"  I  never  was  more  so,"  I  said. 

"But  why  should  you  want  me  to  tell  you  some 
thing  you  already  know  ?  "  she  asked — with  a  quick 
glance  at  Moore. 

"Come,  come!"  said  I;  "Colonel  Moore  is  totally 
deaf,  at  times.  I  promise  your  secret  shall  remain 
within  this  room." 

"  My  secret ! "  she  laughed.  "  Really,  Armand,  you 
are  delicious." 

"  I  don't  quite  understand,"  I  said. 

She  laughed  again.  "It  seems  to  me  that  why  I 
followed  you  to  Valeria,  instead  of  coming  with  you, 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  217 

is,  particularly,  your  secret.  You  wouldn't  care  for 
His  Majesty  to  know  it,  would  you  ?  " 

"If  it's  my  secret,"  said  I,  "don't  you  think  I 
ought  to  be  let  into  it  ?  " 

She  thought  a  moment — evidently  considering 
how  much  she  should  reveal  to  me.  Of  course,  she 
understood  what  I  wanted  and  why;  but  this  order 
of  mine,  restricting  her  within  the  Capital,  had 
evidently  been  totally  unexpected,  and  she  was  set 
upon  having  some  explanation  of  it.  Hence,  she 
was  ready  to  bargain. 

"Come!"  said  I.  "In  this  game  you're  playing, 
you  will  have  to  disclose  it  very  soon,  anyway." 

"But,  it  seems  so  silly,  Armand,  to  tell  you  what 
you  yourself  arranged." 

"Oh!  So  I  arranged  for  your  coming!"  I  ex 
claimed.  "  I  suppose  I  also  arranged  for  what  you 
have  done  since  you've  been  here." 

She  smiled  sweetly.  "Not  quite  all,  my  dear. 
I've  been  arranging  a  few  things  myself,  thanks  to 
your  perfidy." 

"We  are  getting  away  from  the  main  point,"  I 
said.  "You  were  about  to  tell  me  why  you  came  to 
Dornlitz." 

She  arose  languidly,  and  began  to  draw  on  her 
gloves. 

"Oh,  was  I?  Well,  then,  I've  changed  my 
mind." 

"I  bid  you  good-day,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said,  and 
turned  away. 


She  gave  a  light  laugh.  "  Aren't  you  glad  to  be  rid 
of  me,  dear  ?  " 

I  faced  about. 

"Very,"  I  said  bluntly. 

She  put  out  a  hand,  as  though  to  ward  off  a 
blow,  and  her  face  flushed,  an  instant. 

"  Armand,  my  dear "  she  began. 

I  turned  my  back  and  walked  toward  the  window. 

Then,  there  came  the  rustle  of  silk  behind  me — a 
soft  arm  was  flung  about  my  neck,  and  a  tear-choked 
voice  exclaimed : 

"  Haven't  you  one  kind  word  for  me,  dear  ?  " 

I  reached  up  and  put  her  arm  sharply  aside. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  madame,  there  has  been  enough 
of  this  nonsense,"  I  said.  "There  is  no  gallery  here 
to  play  to,  as  you  had  in  the  Hanging  Garden." 

She  studied  my  face  a  moment — drawing  her 
tiny  lace  handkerchief  nervously  from  hand  to 
hand. 

"I  must  ask  you  to  leave  my  office  immediately,"  I 
went  on.  "If  you  decline,  I  shall  leave  and  not 
return  until  you  have  gone." 

She  slowly  drew  herself  up,  and  stepped  back. 

"And  this  is  your  last  word  to  your  wife?"  she 
asked. 

"It  is  my  last  word  to  you,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said 
curtly.  "  Are  you  going — or  shall  I  ?  " 

She  swept  me  a  bit  of  a  courtesy,  smiling  the  while. 

"I  am  going,  my  dear  Armand,  I  am  going — but 
it  is  only  au  revoir." 


PITCH  AND  TOSS  219 

I  bowed  stiffly,  and  motioned  to  Moore  to  escort 
her. 

He  swung  open  the  door — then  stopped  short. 
Just  entering  the  ante-room,  from  the  corridor, 
were  the  King,  the  Princess  Royal,  and  the  Ameri 
can  Ambassador. 

Instantly,  Mrs.  Spencer  drew  back,  and  gave  me  a 
mocking  smile. 

"I've  changed  my  mind  again,  dear,"  she  said. 
Til  make  that  trade  of  motives,  now." 


XVIII 

ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAT 

I  HASTENED  to  the  door,  saluted  the  King,  and 
greeted  the  Princess  and  Courtney. 

"  I  am  honored  over  much,"  I  said — then  watched 
their  actions,  as  they  saw  Mrs.  Spencer. 

Frederick  stopped  short,  frowned,  then  turned  to 
me  interrogatingly.  Courtney  raised  his  eyebrows, 
bowed  to  Mrs.  Spencer,  and,  then,  gave  me  a 
quizzical  smile.  Dehra  flouted  her  enemy  with  one 
of  those  deliberately  ignoring  stares;  then,  she  smiled 
at  me,  and  went  over  and  sat  down  at  my  desk. 

Meanwhile,  Mrs.  Spencer  stood  near  the  table; 
one  hand  resting  on  it,  the  other  holding  up  her 
gown.  The  attitude  was  most  becoming  and 
effective — and  she  knew  it.  So  far  as  her  bearing 
showed,  the  situation  was  the  most  natural  imagi 
nable.  And,  chancing  to  catch  my  eye,  she  actually 
gave  me  her  most  fetching  smile. 

She  got  a  stare  in  answer,  and  I  turned  to  the 
King. 

"  I  have  told  Your  Majesty  of  a  Mrs.  Spencer,  who 
claims  to  be  my  wife,"  I  said.  "She  has  sought  an 
audience  with  the  Governor  of  Dornlitz,  and  de- 
220 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY    221 

manded  to  know  why  orders  have  been  issued  that 
she  be  refused  exit  from  the  city.  I  offered  to  explain, 
if  she,  on  her  part,  would  disclose  her  reasons  for 
coming  to  Valeria.  She  refused,  and  was  about  to 
depart,  when,  seeing  Your  Majesty,  she  suddenly 
changed  her  mind  and  agreed  to  bargain.  Have  we 
your  permission  to  proceed  ?  " 

The  King  understood  the  situation,  instantly — 
and  I  could  detect  a  bit  of  a  smile  under  his  grey 
moustache. 

"Be  seated,  madame,"  he  said.  "I  am  interested 
— unless,  of  course,  you  do  not  care  for  us  to  hear  it." 

She  dropped  him  a  wonderful  courtesy — acquired, 
doubtless,  in  her  French  Convent  school. 

"Your  Majesty  is  more  than  welcome  to  every 
word  of  my  story,"  she  answered,  with  ready  frank 
ness.  "  The  Grand  Duke  Armand  knows  it  quite  as 
well  as  I;  though  he  affects  otherwise,  because  it 
pleases  him  to  pretend  that  I  am  not  his  wife." 

"My  dear  madame,"  the  King  said,  "you  are  not 
to  tell  me  anything.  You  are  simply  graciously 
permitting  me  to  be  present  when  you  carry  out  the 
bargain  you  have  just  made  with  the  Governor  of 
Dornlitz." 

She  smiled  very  sweetly  at  the  King;  then,  turned 
to  me. 

"  Will  you  begin,  Armand,"  she  said. 

I  bowed.  "After  you,  madame,"  said  I.  "And, 
perchance,  when  I  have  heard  vour  story,  I  may 
revoke  the  order." 


222     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

She  smiled  disdainfully  —  then,  addressed  tha 
King: 

"I  consented  to  this  exchange  only  because  Your 
Majesty  would,  thus,  hear  at  least  some  truth  as  to 
this  marriage.  I  confess,  however,  I  am  surprised 
that  Major  Dalberg  permits  it  to  be  disclosed." 

She  turned  to  me  with  affected  hesitation. 

"  Are  you  quite  sure,  Armand,  you  really  want  me 
to  tell  it  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  laughed.  "You  play  it  very  cleverly,  Mrs. 
Spencer,"  I  said. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  most  expressively. 

"  On  your  head  be  it,  then,"  she  answered.  Then, 
addressing  the  King,  she  went  on.  "When  it  was 
determined  that  Major  Dalberg  was  to  be  the  Amer 
ican  Military  Attache  with  the  Valerian  Army,  he 
told  me,  for  the  first  time,  of  his  kinship  to  Your 
Majesty.  On  my  insistent  urging,  he  then  decided 
to  make  a  bid  for  your  favor,  to  the  end  that  you 
might  acknowledge  his  birth  and  restore  to  him  the 
lost  estates  and  titles  of  his  ancestor,  Prince  Hugo. 
Apprehending,  however,  that  Your  Majesty  would 
look  with  more  kindness  upon  him  as  a  bachelor 
than  as  a  married  man,  it  was  arranged  that  I  should 
remain  in  America.  Then,  as  soon  as  the  scheme 
had  either  succeeded  or  definitely  failed,  I  was  to  be 
sent  for."  She  turned  and  looked  at  me.  "It  is 
rather  needless  to  say — in  view  of  Monsieur  Armand 's 
present  attitude  toward  me — that  he  never  sent  for 
me  But  I  saw  the  accounts,  in  the  daily  Press,  of 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY         223 

the  wonderful  story  of  an  American  Army  Officer, 
Armand  Dalberg,  being,  in  truth,  a  Prince  of 
Valeria;  and  how  he  had  been  so  accepted  and  pro 
claimed  by  the  King.  I  waited  two  weeks  and  more — 
for  word  from  my  husband — then  I  came  hither — 
and  met  the  kind  reception  he  gave  me  in  the  Hanging 
Garden." 

She  paused  an  instant;  then  spoke  to  me: 

"  Is  there  anything  material  that  I  have  omitted  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"Naturally,  I  do  not  know,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I 
answered;  "but,  judging  from  your  marvellous 
power  of — invention,  I  should  fancy  not." 

She  turned  aside  the  thrust  with  a  smile. 

"The  bargain  is,  now,  with  you,  monsieur,"  she 
said.  "  I  await  the  explanation  of  your  order." 

"It  is  very  simple,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  I  said  curtly; 
"so  simple,  indeed,  I  am  quite  sure  you  guessed  it, 
long  ago." 

Her  smile  still  lingered. 

"The  bargain,  sir,  the  bargain!" 

"I  issued  the  order,  madame,  because  you  have 
falsely  proclaimed  yourself  my  wife,  and  I  intend  to 
confine  your  acting  as  such  within  the  limits  of  this 
town.  So  long  as  you  pose  as  my  wife  you  will  never 
pass  the  gates  of  Dornlitz." 

"  In  other  words,  I  am  to  be  prisoner  for  life,"  she 
said. 

"That  is  for  you  to  determine,"  I  answered. 

She  studied  my  face,  a  bit. 


"  I  suppose  you  want  me  to  consent  to  a  divorce," 
she  said. 

"Divorce  implies  marriage,"  I  answered. 

She  shook  her  head  and  smiled  tolerantly. 

"  I  really  can't  promise  to  die  just  to  accommodate 
Your  Highness,"  she  said. 

I  made  no  reply. 

"And  that  suggests  the  inquiry,  Your  Majesty," 
she  said;  "as  the  wife  of  the  Prince  Armand  am  I  not 
a  Grand  Duchess  of  Valeria  and  a  Royal  Highness  ?  " 

Surely,  the  woman's  impudence  was  almost  beyond 
belief! 

But  the  King  was  very  courteous. 

"The  Decree  of  Restoration  applies  only  to  the 
Grand  Duke  Armand,"  he  said. 

"  And  I  remain,  simply,  Mrs.  Armand  Dalberg  ?  " 
she  asked. 

Frederick  smiled. 

"You  remain  exactly  what  you  were  before  the 
Decree  was  signed,"  he  said. 

She  turned  to  me. 

"  Since  I  am  to  live  in  Dornlitz  the  rest  of  my  days, 
where  is  it  your  gracious  purpose  that  I  reside — in  the 
Epsau  Palace  or  where?" 

"  Except  to  assure  you  it  will  not  be  in  the  Epsau, 
it  is  no  concern  of  mine  where  you  live,"  I  answered. 

"Then,  it  will  be  the  Hotel  Metzen — and,  of 
course,  the  bill  will  be  sent  to  you." 

"  Oh,  no,  it  won't,"  I  answered. 

" Surely! "  she  exclaimed,  " you  can't  intend  to  hold 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY         225 

me  prisoner,  and,  then,  oblige  me  to  provide  my  own 
subsistence." 

"Your  subsistence,  Mrs.  Spencer,  is  not  my 
affair,"  I  said,  "since  the  length  of  your  enforced 
detention  in  Dornlitz  is  optional  with  yourself." 

"You  mean?" 

"  I  mean,  that  when  you  admit  I  am  not  and  never 
was  your  husband,  and  that  the  marriage  certificate 
is  false,  that  instant  you  are  free  to  depart." 

She  shook  her  head. 

"I  am  willing  to  permit  you  to  obtain  a  divorce," 
she  said,  "but  I  may  not  deny  the  truth  of  the 
certificate." 

"Very  good,"  said  I.  "I  trust  you  will  enjoy 
your  stay  in  Dornlitz." 

She  swung  around  toward  Courtney. 

"  You  are  the  American  Ambassador,  are  you  not, 
monsieur  ?  "  she  said. 

Courtney  answered  by  a  bow. 

"Then,  I  ask  if  you  will  suffer  an  American 
citizen  to  be  kept  prisoner  by  the  Valerian  author 
ities  without  trial  or  legal  judgment  ?  " 

"Not  for  a  moment,  madame,"  said  Courtney, 
instantly,  and  with  a  quick  smile  at  the  King. 

"You  would  protest?" 

"Most  strenuously — and  so  would  Washington." 

She  looked  at  me  with  a  triumphant  sneer. 

"You  hear,  Your  Highness!"  she  exclaimed. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "I  hear." 

"  I  presume  I  am  now  at  liberty  to  depart." 
15 


226     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"From  the  room  ? — undoubtedly,"  I  answered. 

"Thank  you — I  mean  from  Dornlitz." 

"Whenever  you  will,"  said  I;  "on  the  terms  I 
gave  you." 

She  turned,  again,  to  Courtney. 

"I  appeal  to  Your  Excellency  for  protection." 

"  Upon  what  basis,  madame  ?  "  he  asked  formally. 

She  looked  surprised. 

"As  an  American  subject,"  she  said. 

"  And  under  what  name  ?  "    Courtney  asked. 

"My    rightful    one,    of    course,"    she    laughed: 
"Madeline  Dalberg." 

"  Wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  Armand  ?  "  he  went  on. 

"  Surely,  monsieur — who  else  ?  " 

"  That,  madame,  if  you  will  pardon,  is  the  material 
point.  As  wife  of  a  Valerian  Prince  you  are  a  subject 
of  His  Majesty,  Frederick  the  Third,  and  the 
American  Government  has  no  jurisdiction  to 
interfere." 

"But,  His  Majesty  has  just  said  I  was  not  com 
prehended  in  the  Decree  restoring  my  husband,"  she 
objected.  , 

"Of  course,  I  can  speak  only  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  the  United  States,"  said  Courtney.  "It 
asks  only  if  you  are  the  wife  of  a  foreigner.  If  you 
are,  then,  his  citizenship  determines  yours." 

She  gave  Courtney  a  sarcastic  smile,  and  addressed 
the  King. 

"Will  Your  Majesty  tell  me  wherein  the  Valerian 
doctrine  differs  from  the  American  ?  "  she  asked. 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY          227 

"It  is  precisely  similar,"  said  Frederick. 

She  leaned  forward.  "  Then,  though  not  an  Arch 
duchess,  I  am,  nevertheless,  a  subject  of  Your 
Majesty,"  she  said. 

The  King  frowned.  "My  dear  madame,"  he 
said,  "questions  of  citizenship  are  not  presented  to 
me,  originally.  They  are  passed  upon  by  the 
proper  Department  of  my  Government  and  reach 
me,  only,  in  case  of  peculiarly  extraordinary  circum 
stances." 

She  arose,  and  went  close  over  to  the  King. 

"  Your  Majesty  has  heard  me  appeal  for  protection 
to  the  Ambassador  of  my  native  land  and  be  refused, 
because  I  was  no  longer  an  American  citizen,"  she 
began.  "  And  you,  yourself,  have  practically  admit 
ted  he  was  correct,  and  that  I  am  a  Valerian  subject. 
Therefore,  I  demand  that  freedom  of  action  which 
is  granted  to  all  your  citizens,  and  that  the  order  of 
the  Governor  of  Dornlitz  be  revoked." 

Frederick  looked  at  her  sternly  for  a  moment. 

"Pray  be  seated,  madame,"  he  said;  "and  permit 
me  to  observe  that,  if  you  are  my  subject,  your 
manner  of  address  is  scarcely  respectful  to  your 
King." 

"I  do  not  desire  to  be  disrespectful,"  she  replied; 
"but,  if  I  am  your  subject,  I  have  the  undoubted 
right  to  the  protection  of  your  laws.  I  ask  Your 
Majesty  if  I  am  receiving  that  protection?  I  ask 
Your  Majesty  if  those  laws  permit  one,  unaccused 
of  any  crime  or  wrong-doing,  to  be  held  prisoner 


228     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

within  the  limits  of  a  town  ?  I  ask  Your  Majesty  if 
those  laws  sanction  such  an  order  as  your  Governor, 
yonder,  has  made  respecting  me  ?  " 

There  was  just  the  proper  touch  of  dignified 
indignation  and  feminine  pathos.  Indeed,  I  never 
saw  this  rather  remarkable  woman  act  her  part 
better  than  in  that  short  speech. 

The  King  looked  at  her,  for  a  bit,  in  silence- 
though,  whether  he  was  admiring  her  as  a  beau 
tiful  w  man  or  as  an  artistic  impersonator,  I 
could  not  make  out.  Doubtless,  it  was  something  of 
both. 

"As  simple  abstract  propositions,  my  dear  mad- 
ame,"  he  said,  presently,  "your  questions,  as  put, 
are  entitled  to  negative  replies.  But,  when  they  are 
applied  to  the  actual  facts  in  the  case,  as  just  given 
by  you,  there  is  a  vast  difference.  If  you  are  the 
lawfully  wedded  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  Armand, 
there  is  nothing  illegal  in  the  order  you  complain  of. 
In  Valeria,  the  husband  has  lawful  authority,  upon 
proper  cause,  to  restrain  his  wife  within  even  smaller 
limits  than  are  prescribed  for  you." 

"But,  where,  in  my  case,  is  there  any  proper 
cause  ?  "  she  demanded.  "  Besides,  he  avers  I  am  not 
his  wife — therefore,  he  can  have  no  authority  over 
me." 

The  King  smiled.  "My  dear  madamc,  you 
forget  that  it  is  you  who  insist  upon  submitting 
yourself  to  his  authority." 

"That  may  be,  Sire;  yet,  I  appeal  to  your  sense  of 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY         229 

fairness.  Should  he  be  permitted  to  exercise  a 
husband's  authority  to  imprison  me,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  deny  that  he  is  my  husband?" 

Of  course,  theoretically,  she  was  in  the  right. 
My  action  was,  in  that  particular,  utterly  inconsistent 
with  my  position  and  protestations.  For  a  moment, 
I  was  a  trifle  uneasy  as  to  the  King's  answer. 

But  he  brushed  it  lightly  aside. 

"The  circumstances  of  the  case  are  so  extra 
ordinary,  madame,  that  I  fear  it  cannot  well  be 
judged  by  the  usual  standard." 

She  smiled  very  sweetly.  "  Which  means  that  I  am 
to  be  held  to  the  strict  obligations  of  my  position, 
but  that  the  Grand  Duke  Armand  can  perpetrate 
any  inconsistency  he  choose." 

The  King  smiled  back  at  her.  "I  do  not  doubt 
that  His  Royal  Highness  will  be  most  happy  to  be 
relieved  of  the  necessity  for  being  inconsistent,"  he 
said. 

"Good!"  she  exclaimed.  "I  am  ready  to  leave 
Dornlitz  and  Valeria  this  very  day." 

The  King  turned  to  me,  interrogatingly. 

"  Then,  you  admit  you  are  not  Madeline  Dalberg  ?" 
I  asked. 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  re-affirm  it;  but,  I  offer  you  a 
divorce." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders  and  made  no  reply. 

"You  see,  Sire,"  she  said,  "how  reasonable  he  is. 
He  condescends  to  be  consistent  only  if,  by  forc 
ing  me  to  perjure  myself,  he  can  further  his — 


230    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

schemes" — and  she  deliberately  turned  and  looked 
at  the  Princess. 

I  stepped  quickly  between  them. 

She  laughed  scornfully. 

"How  like  you,  Armand,"  she  said.  "It's  only 
a  short  while  since  you  were  just  as  thoughtful  for 
me." 

I  was  too  angry  to  reply,  but  she  could  read  my 
thoughts  in  my  eyes.  And  she  answered  them  with 
a  taunting  smile  and  a  toss  of  her  head. 

So  there  was  silence,  for  a  space;  then,  she  spoke 
to  Courtney: 

"I  understand,  Your  Excellency  refuses  me  your 
protection  because  I  am  a  Valerian  subject  ?  " 

Courtney  bowed. 

"Made  so  by  your  own  statements,"  he  answered. 

"And  Your  Majesty  refuses  to  interfere  between 
the  Governor  of  Dornlitz  and  me,  because,  as  his 
wife,  I  am  subject  to  his  authority?" 

"In  effect,  yes,"  said  Frederick. 

"  And  you,  my  Lord  Armand,  declare  that  I  am  not 
your  wife  and,  therefore,  that  I  am  an  American 
subject  ?  " 

"I  think,  Mrs.  Spencer,  we  have  gone  over  that 
matter  ad  nauseam,"  I  said. 

"I  grant  you  the  nauseousness,"  she  retorted. 

"A  bare-faced  lie  may  not  be  over  chary  as  to  the 
defence  it  provokes,"  I  answered. 

She  gathered  up  her  skirts,  and  turned  toward  the 
door. 


ANOTHER  ACT  IN  THE  PLAY         231 

"What  a  pretty  sight  you  three  are,"  she  sneered. 
"A  Bang,  an  Ambassador  and  a  Royal  Archduke 
playing  with  one  poor  woman  like  cats  with  a  mouse. 
Truly,  sirs,  you  should  have  •  lived  three  hundred 
years  ago.  You  would  have  shown  rare  skill  in  the 
torture  chambers  of  the  Holy  Inquisition." 

"  Ton  my  soul,  madame ! "  Frederick  exclaimed, 
"I'm  glad  to  hear  a  frank  opinion  of  myself.  It's 
a  privilege  that  rarely  comes  to  a  King." 

"  More's  the  pity  for  the  King,"  she  replied.  "  And 
more's  the  shame  for  his  selfish  advisers,"  and  she 
looked  at  Courtney,  and,  then,  at  me. 

"  Have  I  Your  Majesty's  permission  to  depart — to 
my  hotel  ?  "  she  ended. 

The  King  nodded,  without  replying. 

She  swept  him  another  of  those  wonderful  curt 
sies;  then  turned  to  Moore,  who  swung  back  the 
door  for  her. 

At  the  threshold  she  looked  back  and  smiled 
at  me. 

" Au  revoir,  Armand,  dear,  au  revoir,"  she  said 
almost  caressingly ;  "  you  will  come  back  to  me  soon, 
I  know." 

Before  I  could  frame  an  answer  she  was  gone. 


XIX 

MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE 

FOR  the  next  few  weeks,  matters  went  along 
without  any  particular  incident.  The  snarl,  in  which 
I  was  entangled,  showed  no  signs  of  unravelling,  and 
my  marriage  to  the  Princess  and  the  Royal  succession 
seemed  farther  away  than  ever. 

The  investigations,  in  the  United  States,  had 
yielded  nothing  of  any  utility.  Indeed,  they  had 
been  practically  barren,  for  they  had  told  me  little 
more  than  Courtney's  cablegram. 

Edwards,  the  witness  named  in  the  certificate, 
had  not  been  located,  though  New  York  had  been 
scraped  as  with  a  fine-tooth  comb;  so,  it  was  safe 
to  assume  his  existence  was  only  on  paper  and  in 
Alderman  McGuire's  brain. 

The  movements  of  Madeline  Spencer  had  been 
very  difficult  to  trace,  as  was  entirely  natural — for 
what  hotel  servant  would  remember,  weeks  after, 
the  doings  of  a  woman  guest,  whose  life  had  been  at 
all  regular.  All  that  could  be  ascertained,  definitely, 
was  that  she  had  sailed  from  New  York  ten  days 
prior  to  her  arrival  at  Dornlitz;  and  that  she  had 
registered  as  Mrs.  Armand  Dalberg  at  the  Waldorf 
232 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  233 

a  week  before  sailing;  her  luggage  having  been 
checked  there  from  Philadelphia.  The  floor-clerk 
and  some  of  the  pages  recalled  her  very  readily,  and 
were  rather  positive  that  they  had  not  seen  any 
foreigner  with  her,  who  resembled  a  Valerian. 

That  was  about  the  extent  of  the  detectives' 
discoveries;  for  Philadelphia  yielded  absolutely 
nothing,  beyond  the  fact  that  she  had  been  at  one  of 
the  Broad  Street  hotels,  for  a  fortnight,  prior  to 
coming  to  New  York;  and,  before  that,  in  Pittsburgh, 
Washington,  and  New  York;  the  last  corresponding, 
in  date,  to  my  interview  with  her,  there,  in  December. 
At  none  of  these  places,  could  any  traces  be  dis 
covered  of  an  emissary  of  Lotzen. 

Nor  did  the  investigations  at  this  end,  conducted 
for  me  by  Courtney's  secret  agents,  yield  anything 
more  satisfactory.  During  the  period,  in  question, 
the  Duke  had  not  been  away  from  the  Capital  for 
over  three  days  at  any  one  time,  and  none  of  his 
suite  had  been  absent  longer  than  a  week.  Never 
theless,  I  was  none  the  less  positive  that  there  had 
been  some  sort  of  communication  between  Madeline 
Spencer,  in  America,  and  the  Duke  of  Lotzen,  in 
Valeria,  in  response  to  which  she  was  here. 

So,  it  seemed  Courtney  was  correct,  as  usual.  He 
had  predicted  that  nothing  would  be  found  by  the 
detectives;  because,  as  he  said,  it  was  just  a  case  in 
which  all  tracks  would  be  most  effectively  covered 
by  doing  everything  in  the  most  ordinary  way — and, 
apparently,  that  was  just  what  had  been  done. 


234     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

There  seemed  to  be  nothing  but  to  cultivate 
patience  and  settle  down  to  wait  for  someone  to 
blunder,  or  for  the  lady  to  get  tired  of  her  enforced 
residence  in  Dornlitz,  and  begin  to  get  restless,  and 
do  something  which  would  give  us  a  clue  to  work  on. 

She  had  retained  her  apartments  at  the  Hotel 
Metzen — the  management  having,  however,  ad 
dressed  me  as  to  my  pleasure,  in  the  matter — and, 
at  least,  once  every  day,  she  had  sought  to  pass  some 
one  of  the  City  gates;  and,  when  refused,  would 
then  demand  exit  as  the  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Armand. 

She  drove  and  rode  and  walked  about  the  town 
the  cynosure  of  all  eyes — and  some  of  them  of 
admiring  men,  who  would  have  been  very  ready, 
doubtless,  to  start  a  flirtation;  both  for  their  own 
pleasure  and  in  the  hope  of  gaining  my  good  will  by 
discrediting  her. 

But,  she  would  have  none  of  them,  and  went  her 
way  with  the  serene  blindness  of  an  honest  woman. 

In  the  hotel,  she  bore  herself  with  the  quiet 
dignity  and  reserve  suitable  to  her  assumed  position. 
With  the  guests,  particularly  Americans,  she  was 
frankly  gracious  and  friendly;  but,  it  was  evident, 
she  sought  no  sympathy  and  wanted  no  confidants. 

All  these  details  came  to  me  in  the  reports  of  the 
Secret  Police.  I  saw  her  very  frequently  on  the 
street;  passing  her  both  on  the  sidewalk  and  on 
horseback.  And  if  she  were  pining  for  the  newly 
wedded  husband,  who  had  forsaken  and  denied  her. 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  235 

she  most  assuredly  did  not  show  it.  Nor  did  her 
impudence  diminish.  Whenever  she  saw  me  she 
tried  to  catch  my  eye.  Several  times  it  happened 
she  was  watching  me  when  I  first  observed  her; 
then,  like  a  flash,  she  would  bow  and  smile  with  the 
air  of  the  most  intimate  camaraderie. 

Of  course,  I  pointedly  ignored  her,  but  it  had  no 
effect;  for  the  next  time  her  greeting  was  only  the 
more  effusively  intimate.  Naturally,  the  people 
stared.  I  felt  sure  they  winked  at  one  another 
knowingly,  when  my  back  was  turned.  The  whole 
situation  was  intensely  irritating  and  growing  more 
so  every  day;  and  my  patience,  never  long  at  best, 
must  have  been  a  trifle  uncertain  for  those  around  me. 

I  think  I  am  not  an  unjust  man,  by  nature;  but 
some  provocations  would  make  even  the  best 
tempers  quick  and  squally.  And,  then,  what  is  the 
good  of  being  an  Archduke,  if  one  may  not  flare  out 
occasionally ! 

I  was  a  bit  lonely,  too.  The  King  was  in  the 
North  and  the  Princess  was  with  him — and  so,  for  a 
time,  was  Lotzen,  I  happened  to  know;  though  I 
understood  he  had,  now,  left  them  and  was  returning 
to  Dornlitz.  I  wished  him  a  long  journey  and  a  slow 
one. 

His  suave  courtesy  was  becoming  unbearable ;  and 
my  sorest  trial  was  to  receive  it  calmly  and  to  meet  it 
in  kind.  Truly,  if  he  had  found  a  brilliant  leading 
woman  in  Madeline  Spencer,  he  had  an  equally 
brilliant  leading  man  in  himself. 


I  was  no  possible  match  for  him;  and  I  could  feel 
the  sneer  behind  his  smile.  I  wanted  to  give  him  a 
good  body  beating — and  I  was  sure  he  knew  it,  and 
that  it  only  amused  him.  I  could,  now,  quite  under 
stand  the  rage  which  makes  a  man  walk  up  to 
another  and  smash  him  in  the  face  without  a  word 
of  preliminary.  I  would  have  given  five  years  of 
life  to  do  that  to  Lotzen. 

And,  instead,  I  had  to  smile — and  smile — and 
smile.  Bah!  it  makes  me  shiver. 

He  must  have  fancied  I  wished  him  a  long  ab 
sence,  for  he  returned  with  astonishing  promptness. 
I  saw  him  the  next  afternoon  in  the  Officers'  Club — 
and  our  greeting  was  almost  effusive.  In  fact,  if 
anything  were  required  to  prove  how  intensely  we 
despised  each  other,  this  demonstrative  cordiality 
supplied  it.  It  was  so  hollow  it  fairly  resounded 
with  derision. 

"I'll  ride  over  to  Headquarters  with  you," 
he  said. 

"I'm  walking,"  I  answered. 

"  Good,  I'll  walk,  too,"  he  replied. 

So,  we  set  out — the  orderly  following  with  the 
Duke's  horse. 

"  When  did  you  come  in  ? "  I  asked — knowing 
perfectly  well  the  very  hour  of  his  arrival. 

"Last  night,  on  the  Express  from  the  North,"  he 
answered — knowing  that  I  already  knew  it. 

"  Had  a  good  time,  of  course  ?  "  I  remarked. 

"  Delightful — we  wished  for  you." 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  237 

"It's  astonishing  how  kind  you  all  are  to  the 
stranger,"  I  said. 

He  shot  a  quick  glance  at  me. 

"We  don't  regard  you  as  a  stranger,  my  dear 
cousin,"  he  protested. 

"I  believe  you,"  said  I.  "Judged  by  the  way 
His  Majesty  and  the  Princess,  and  you  have  treated 
me,  the  heir  of  Hugo  might  never  have  lived 
beyond  the  Kingdom." 

This  brought  another  look. 

"The  Dalbergs  don't  do  things  by  halves,"  he 
answered. 

"  So  I  have  noticed,  cousin.  I  only  trust  I  can  live 
up  to  it." 

He  laughed.  "You  promise  very  well,  Armand, 
very  well,  indeed." 

"  I  am  glad,"    I  answered. 

When  we  reached  Headquarters,  I  suggested  that 
he  come  up  to  my  office  and  smoke  a  cigar.  I  thought 
he  would  decline.  But,  there,  I  erred. 

"Thanks,"  said  he,  "I'll  join  you  as  soon  as  I've 
registered,"  and  he  turned  down  the  corridor 
toward  the  Adjutant  General's  office. 

On  my  desk  was  a  wire  from  the  Princess.  She  and 
the  King  would  reach  Dornlitz  the  next  morning  and 
I  was  expected  to  lunch  at  the  Palace.  I  dispatched 
an  answer  that  would  meet  the  Royal  train  en 
route,  and  thought  of  Lotzen  with  indifference — 
almost. 

When  he  came,  I  was  going  through  a  batch  of 


238     COLONEL  OE  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

papers   which   had  just   been   brought   in   for   my 
signature. 

"Don't  let  me  disturb  you,"  he  said  heartily. 
"  Finish  the  miserable  red  tape." 

I  nodded. 

He  chose  a  cigar  and,  having  lighted  it,  with  the 
careful  attention  he  seemed  to  give  to  the  smallest 
matters,  he  sauntered  to  the  window  that  over 
looked  the  Avenue. 

Presently,  he  glanced  around  at  me. 

I  went  on  with  my  work. 

Then  he  glanced  again. 

I  signed  the  last  of  the  papers,  pushed  them  aside 
and  arose. 

"  Mrs.  Spencer  is  about  to  pass,"  he  said. 

"I  trust  so,"  said  I.  "I'm  sure  I've  no  desire  for 
her  to  stop." 

Then,  suddenly,  he  frowned — and  made  a  short 
bow. 

"She  had  the  impudence  to  speak  to  me,"  he 
said. 

I  smiled  and  made  no  comment.  For  the  life  of 
me,  I  could  not  determine  if  his  surprise  were  natural 
or  assumed. 

He  crossed  to  a  front  window  and  watched  her 
out  of  sight. 

"There  is  no  discounting  her  beauty,"  he 
remarked. 

I  was  silent. 

He  came  over,  and  dropped  into  a  chair  on  the 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  239 

other  side  of  the  table.  It  was  just  where  Mrs. 
Spencer  had  sat,  and,  so,  a  very  fit  place  for  him. 

"She  must  be  a  most  extraordinary  woman,"  he 
observed. 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 

"Yet,  what  I  can't  understand,  is  what  she  hopes 
to  gain  by  masquerading,  here,  as  your  wife." 

I  looked  at  him  and  waited.  He  was  steering  into 
strange  waters,  it  seemed  to  me. 

"Now,  if  she  had  done  it  in  Paris,  or  Vienna,  or 
any  place  outside  of  Valeria,"  he  went  on,  "one 
could  see  the  temporary  profit  of  it.  But,  to  come  to 
Dornlitz  and  dare  it  under  your  very  nose!" — he 
flung  up  his  hands.  "  She  is  a  bit  too  much  for 
me!" 

I  saw  his  drift,  now.  He  wanted  to  know  if  I 
suspected  him;  and,  to  that  end,  was  quite  willing 
to  match  his  wit  against  mine.  His  contempt  for  my 
discernment  was  not,  especially,  flattering;  but, 
sometimes,  it  does  no  harm  to  be  taken  for  a  fool — 
if  one  is  not.  And  I  was  conceited  enough  to  consider 
myself  the  latter.  Which,  however,  may  only  have 
proven  that  Lotzen  was  right. 

"And  for  me,  too,  at  present,"  I  answered. 

"  At  present  ?  "  he  echoed,  blowing  a  succession  of 
smoke  rings  and  watching  them  float  away. 

I  nodded.  "She  will  get  tired  of  the  game, 
presently,  and  quit." 

"She  has  stuck  to  it  rather  persistently,"  he 
observed;  "and  crossed  the  seas  to  play  it." 


240     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "she  did  just  that;  yet  she  is  none 
the  less  liable  to  quit  abruptly  to-morrow." 

That  would  interest  him,  I  thought.    It  did. 

"You  are  judging  from  experience?"  he  asked, 
rather  quickly. 

"  I've  known  the  lady  for  a  few  years,"  I  laughed, 
"  and  I've  yet  to  find  her  true  either  to  Jierself  or  to 
the  hand  that  paid  her." 

It  was  characteristic  of  the  man  that,  at  these  last 
words,  he  made  no  quick  glance  at  my  face.  Instead, 
he  studied  the  end  of  his  cigar.  When  he  did  look 
at  me,  it  was  in  the  perfectly  natural  way  of  asking  a 
question. 

Then  I  got  a  start.  He  suddenly  struck  straight 
from  the  shoulder. 

"  By  *  the  hand  that  paid  her, '  you  mean  ?  "  he 
asked — and  now,  his  eyes  were  fairly  drilling  into 
mine. 

I  took  on  a  look  of  surprise. 

"  What  does  it  usually  mean  ?  "  I  answered,  with  a 
bit  of  a  shrug. 

He  either  had  to  appear  to  accept  the  inference  in 
this  answer  or  else  ask  me  blankly  if  I  meant  that 
Mrs.  Spencer  was  in  his  employ.  He  chose  the 
former. 

"  It  is  very  difficult  to  associate  such  a  beautiful 
woman  with  the  demi-monde,"  he  said. 

"Yet,  Saint  Anthony  would  stand  no  chance  with 
her." 

He  looked  at  me  with  an  amused  smile. 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  241 

"I  assume  you  lay  no  claims  to  even  ordinary 
saintship  ?  " 

"  None,  whatever,  my  dear  Duke." 

"  Possibly,  you  avoided  situations  which  might  put 
you  to  the  test  ?  " 

"Possibly,"  I  laughed. 

"  You  are  more  of  a  Saint  than  you  imagine,"  he 
answered. 

I  shook  my  head. 

"Colonel  Spencer  was  my  friend,"  I  said. 

"And  his  wife — and  widow  would  have  been — 
yours — and  you  would  not;  n'est  ce  pas?" 

I  smiled. 

"So,  that's  the  motive  for  it,  is  it.  'Hell  hath  no 
fury  like  a  woman  scorned,'"  he  quoted.  It  was 
meant  as  a  question,  however. 

I  appeared  to  hesitate. 

"Revenge,  sometimes,  does  take  queer  forms,"  I 
said  tentatively. 

"  And  you,  too,  think  this  is  revenge  ? "  he  asked. 

"What  other  motive  could  she  have?"  I 
answered. 

He  closed  his  eyes,  a  moment;  lest,  I  suppose,  his 
amused  contempt  would  shine  out  so  plainly  that 
even  stupid  I  would  see  it.  He  was  sure,  now,  he 
had  been  right  in  deeming  me  too  heavy-witted  to 
suspect  him. 

"  It  might  be  blackmail,"  he  suggested. 

"  Then,  she  is  a  very  long  time  in  naming  her 
price,"  I  replied. 

16 


242     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"True;  but,  maybe,  she  is  enjoying  Dornlitz," 
he  laughed. 

I  laughed,  too. 

"It's  none  of  my  business,  of  course,  Annand," 
he  went  on,  "but,  why  don't  you  run  her  out 
of  the  Kingdom,  instead  of  keeping  her  in  by 
force." 

"  I'm  waiting  for  her  to  get  tired  of  the  game  and 
quit." 

He  thought  a  bit. 

"  Maybe,  I  can  help  you,"  he  said. 

I  had  not  Lotzen's  gift  of  imperturbability  but  I 
did  my  best  not  to  show  my  surprise. 

"You  are  very  kind,"  I  answered;  "though  I 
don't  see  what  you  can  do." 

"  I  may  take  it  you  have  no  particular — regard  for 
the  lady  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Indeed,  you  may!" 

"So  you  would  have  no  objection  to  someone 
making  a — try  at  her  ?  " 

"None  whatever,  I  assure  you.  As  many  some- 
ones  and  as  many  tries  as  you  wish — and  may  they 
all  win." 

"Now,  you're  a  trifle  too  generous,"  said  he. 
"  I've  taken  rather  a  shy  at  her  myself  and — you 
understand  ?  " 

I  thought  I  did — but  not  as  he  meant  me  to. 
What  he  wanted  was  liberty  to  communicate,  at  will, 
directly  with  the  lady,  without  arousing  suspicion  or 
seeming  to  side  against  me. 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  243 

I  shut  one  eye,  and  looked  at  him  as  though  in  sly 
comprehension. 

"  But,  how  will  that  help  me  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  In  this  way,"  said  he.  "  You  think  she  is  tired  of 
her  game  and  about  ready  to  quit.  I  come  along; 
and  she  tosses  you  over  and  seizes  the  new  prey.  I'll 
tell  her  plainly  she  cannot  have  me  so  long  as  there 
is  any  question  about  her  being  your  wife." 

"But,  won't  it  raise  a  nasty  scandal?"  I  objected. 

"Not  a  bit,"  he  said,  with  a  knowing  smile.  "We 
have  ways  to  do  such  things,  you  know.  I  have  a 
Chateau  near  the  French  Border — the  lady  leaves  for 
Paris — and  goes  by  way  of  the  Chateau.  Com- 
prenez  vous  ?  " 

I  wanted  to  laugh  in  his  face.  What  a  charming 
scheme  to  get  Mrs.  Spencer  out  of  the  Kingdom ! 

"But,  suppose,"  said  I,  "she  cuts  the  Chateau  and 
keeps  right  on  to  Paris  ?  " 

"Trust  me,  my  dear  Marshal,  she  won't  cut  the 
Chateau.  I  shall  be  with  her  when  she  leaves 
Dornlitz." 

"I  know  the  lady,"  said  I.  "I'm  afraid  to 
risk  it." 

He  tossed  aside  his  cigar  and  lit  a  fresh  one. 

"Very  well,  cousin,"  he  said,  with  an  air  of  good- 
natured  indifference.  "  It's  your  affair,  of  course.  I 
only  wanted  to  aid  you  in  any  way  I  could.  You're 
the  best  judge,  however,  how  to  handle  the  matter. 
If  you  need  me,  I  am  yours  to  command." 

"My  dear  Duke,"  I  said,  "I  realize  your  friendly 


244     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

spirit  and  I  want  you  to  know  I  appreciate  it;  and  I 
shall  not  hesitate  to  call  on  you  if  the  occasion  arise." 

He  flung  his  cape  around  him  and  hooked  up  his 
sword. 

"And,  in  the  meantime,  do  I  understand  that  I  am 
to  keep  severely  away  from  the  lady  ?  " 

I  hesitated.  Of  course  his  point  was  to  obtain 
from  me  direct  authority  for  him  to  visit  her.  The 
very  fact  that  he  wanted  it  was  a  sufficient  reason  for 
refusing;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  so  long  as  he 
thought  himself  unsuspected,  it  might  not  be  a  bad 
move  to  give  him  the  opportunity.  It  would  increase 
the  chances  for  them  to  make  a  blunder.  I  deter 
mined  to  risk  it. 

"The  only  restriction,  touching  Mrs.  Spencer,  is 
the  order  of  the  Military  Governor,"  I  answered.  "  If 
you  can  induce  her  to  acknowledge  the  falsity  of  that 
certificate,  she  shall  be  free  to  resume  her  journey 
to  the  Devil,  via  your  Chateau,  and  joy  go  with  her." 

He  flung  back  his  head  and  laughed  heartily. 

"A  trifle  hard  on  my  Chateau,  cousin,  to  locate  it 
on  the  road  to  Hell.  But  we  will  let  it  pass.  For, 
between  us,  it  is  a  good  road  and  an  easy;  and  they, 
who  travel  it,  are  a  finer  lot  than  the  superstitious 
dreamers  who  grope,  in  darkness,  along  the  bleak 
and  stony  path  they  fancy  leads  upward  to  the 
Light." 

"You  mistook  my  meaning,"  I  said.  It's  not  for 
me  to  criticise  another's  chosen  road,  whether  it  be 
the  rough  one  or  the  smooth.  There  are  no  hand 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  £45 

boards  at  the  forking,  and  only  a  blind  fall  at  the  end 
of  each.  It's  all  a  guess;  and,  so  far  as  I  know,  one 
road  is  as  good  as  another." 

He  looked  at  me,  rather  curiously.  "Which  road 
do  you  travel,  cousin  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Neither,  by  intention,"  I  answered.  "I  am  still 
at  the  Forks." 

He  laughed,  rather  sarcastically.  "  Well,  when  you 
leave  them,  if  you  chance  to  come  my  way,  the 
Chateau  is  at  your  disposal.  Meanwhile,  I'll 
endeavor  to  steer  Madame  Spencer,  alias  Dalberg, 
toward  it." 

I  could  feel  the  deliberate  sneer,  but  It  was  too  well 
veiled  to  resent,  openly. 

"  At  least,  don't  expect  me  as  a  guest  while  she  is 
there,"  I  replied. 

"I  don't  imagine  I  would  want  you,  then,"  said 
he.  He  went  over  to  the  door;  then  returned 
and,  leaning  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  looked  at  me 
thoughtfully. 

"  What  now  ?  "  I  wondered — and  waited. 

"  There  is  a  matter,  cousin,"  he  began,  "  which  has 
been  on  my  mind  lately — and  this  may  be  as  good  a 
time  as  any  to  take  it  up." 

I  nodded.  "  Go  ahead — we  are  in  the  humor  for 
confidences,  this  afternoon,  it  seems." 

"  And  for  plain  speaking  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Between  men  I'm  always  for  that,"  said  I.  "It's 
the  safest  in  the  end." 

"Exactly  my  opinion.     I  am  glad  to  have  one  of 


246     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

your  experience  and  discretion  agree  with  it,"  he 
answered. 

It  seemed  to  give  him  the  keenest  pleasure  to  sneer 
at  me,  to  my  very  face,  with  compliments  he  thought 
I  would  take  seriously.  And,  in  truth,  I  think  I  was 
beginning  to  enjoy  it  as  much  as  he. 

"  You  are  a  bit  old  for  your  age,  my  dear  Duke,"  I 
said. 

"But  I  have  much  to  learn,"  he  said  modestly. 

"It  will  all  come  in  time,  cousin,"  I  answered 
patronizingly. 

He  dropped  his  head  an  instant — to  hide  his 
smiles,  I  knew. 

"A  charming  afternoon,"  he  said.  "Confi 
dences — compliments — and  plain  speaking.  We 
are  making  rare  progress,  cousin  mine." 

"And,  why  not?"  I  asked. 

"Surely,"  he  exclaimed,  heartily,  "surely — why 
not  ?  "  Then  he  paused.  "  And,  now,  for  the  plain 
speaking." 

"  Good,"  said  I;  "  drive  ahead;  and  make  it  as 
plain  as  you  like." 

"I'll  do  it,"  he  said.  "What  I  want  to  know  is: 
First — do  you  intend  to  try  to  displace  me  in  the 
Line  of  Succession?  And,  second — are  you  a 
suitor  for  the  hand  of  the  Princess  Royal  ?  " 

It  would  have  been  impossible  to  hide  my  sur 
prise,  so  I  made  no  effort.  Surely,  this  man's  methods 
were  almost  beyond  comprehension ! 

"My  dear  Duke,"  I  replied,  "your  questions  are 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  247 

plain,  and  a  plain  answer  will  do  for  both — it  is  none 
of  your  business." 

He  laughed.  "By  which  I  infer  you  decline  to 
answer." 

"Precisely!" 

He  tossed  away  his  cigar  and  slowly  lit  another. 

"Of  course,  Armand,  that  is  your  privilege;  but, 
then,  you  must  pardon  the  further  inference  that  to 
decline  to  answer  is,  really,  to  answer  in  the  affirma 
tive." 

"You  are  responsible  for  your  inferences,  not  I," 
I  replied  curtly. 

He  leaned  a  bit  forward.  "Let  us  take  up  my 
first  question,"  he  said.  "Have  you  ever  considered 
what  you  were  likely  to  encounter  if  you  undertook 
to  filch  the  Crown  ?  " 

"  Filch  ?  "    I  interrupted. 

"  Steal,  then,  if  you  prefer.  I  forgot  we  were  to  use 
plain  terms." 

"  Very  true,"  said  I.    "  Proceed." 

"Do  you  think  that  I,  who  have  been  the  Heir 
Presumptive  since  the  instant  of  my  birth,  almost, 
will  calmly  step  aside  and  permit  you  to  take  my 
place  ?  " 

I  looked  at  him,  indifferently,  and  made  no 
answer. 

"Do  you  fancy,  for  an  instant,"  he  went  on,  "that 
the  people  of  Valeria  would  have  a  foreigner  for 
King?" 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders. 


248     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"And  even  if  old  Frederick  were  to  become 
so  infatuated  with  you  that  he  would  restore  you 
to  Hugo's  place  in  the  Line  of  Succession,  do  you 
imagine,  that  the  House  of  Nobles  would  hesitate  to 
annul  it  the  instant  he  died  ?  " 

From  the  written  words,  one  might  well  infer  that 
he  spoke  loudly  and  in  open  anger;  whereas,  in  fact, 
his  face  was  smiling  and  his  voice  was  even  more 
soft  than  usual.  It  behooved  me  to  meet  him  in 
kind. 

"As  you  seem  to  have  been  doing  my  thinking, 
cousin,  perhaps  you  have  also  thought  out  my 
answers.  If  you  have,  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  them; 
it  will  save  me  the  labor  of  thinking  them  out  for 
myself." 

His  smile  broadened.  "The  only  labor  I  can 
promise  to  save  you,  cousin,  is  that  of  being  King." 

"  I  fear  it  is  a  bit  early  for  me  to  choose  my  Prime 
Minister,"  I  said. 

His  smile  became  a  laugh.  "Let  us  pass  to  my 
second  question.  It,  however,  demands  no  thinking. 
There  is  ample  evidence  of  your  intention  as  to  the 
Princess." 

"  Then,  why  ask  it  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Because,  of  her  intention  toward  you,  I  am  not  so 
sure — but,  women  are  queer  creatures  and  prone  to 
take  queer  crotchets.  You  aim  to  marry  her;  and 
so,  having  won  the  King  and  stolen  my  birth-right, 
to  use  her  popularity  to  secure  you  on  the  Throne. 
You  see,  all  roads  lead  to  the  Throne." 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  249 

"All  roads  which  His  Highness  of  Lotzen  travels," 
I  observed. 

He  tilted  back  the  chair;  then  let  it  drop  sharply 
forward  to  the  floor. 

"  Just  so,  cousin,  just  so,"  he  said. 

"  And  one  of  those  roads  passes  by  your  Chateau  ?  " 
I  asked. 

For  an  instant,  he  seemed  to  suspect  my  true 
meaning,  and  I  regretted  the  word. ,  Then  the 
suspicion  faded  and  he  accepted  them  at  their  face 
value. 

"Morals  have  nothing  to  do  with  a  King,"  he 
laughed;  "nor  with  the  subject  under  consideration." 

"Apropos  of  the  latter,"  said  I,  "I  suppose  I  am 
very  stupid,  but  I  don't  quite  understand  why,  if 
you  feel  so  about  the  Princess,  you  offered  to  aid  me 
in  getting  rid  of  Mrs.  Spencer." 

'  Pure  selfishness,  cousin.  I  have  taken  a  liking 
to  the  Lady,  myself." 

"  Then,  at  least,  I  may  thank  you  for  your  selfish 
ness,"  I  sneered. 

He  smiled;  then  turned  and  looked  at  the  clock  on 
the  mantel  behind  him. 

"Come,  Armand,"  he  said,  "I  must  be  going. 
Will  you  condescend  to  answer  ?  " 

I  arose. 

"You  won't?  Well,  it's  not  really  necessary— 
but,  have  you  a  dice  box  handy  ?  " 

"I  have  not." 

"  A  pack  of  cards,  then  ?  " 


250    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"No." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "Take  my  advice 
and  get  them — you  are  far,  very  far,  out  of  the 
fashion,  cousin  mine.  However,  this  will  serve, 
ihough  it's  rather  low  class,"  and  he  took  out  a  gold 
coin  and  rang  it  on  the  table.  "  You  were  an  Amer 
ican  officer  and,  I  understand,  they  are  as  game  a  lot 
of  men  as  wear  swords.  Will  you  bear  that  out  and 
try  a  toss  with  me  ?  " 

"  And  the  wager  ?  "  I  asked. 

He  slowly  drew  the  chair  backward;  but,  instead  of 
dropping  it  with  a  crash,  he  leaned  far  over  it  toward 
me  and  said,  very  slowly. 

"Two  tosses  and  two  wagers.  The  first,  for  the 
Princess;  the  second,  for  the  Crown." 

I  waited  a  moment  until  I  could  control  my  voice. 

"It  will  give  me  the  most  intense  pleasure,  my 
dear  Duke,"  said  I,  "to  toss  you — not  with  yonder 
coin  but  out  of  yonder  window.  I  fancy  a  second  toss 
would  not  be  necessary;  but,  if  it  were,  I  could  do  it 
with  as  much  pleasure  as  the  first." 

Lotzen's  face  got  crimson;  then,  gradually  paled — 
like  red-hot  iron  passing  to  a  white  heat.  He  let  the 
chair  fall  slowly  into  place;  and  so  easily  that  I  could 
not  hear  the  feet  strike  the  floor. 

So,  for  a  space,  we  stood  at  gaze.  Then  he  spoke; 
and  I  marvelled  at  the  continued  calmness  of  his 
voice. 

"You  are  my  superior  officer,  so  I  may  not  strike 
you  nor  draw  against  you.  But  you  will,  I  trust, 


MY  COUSIN,  THE  DUKE  251 

pardon  me,  my  dear  cousin,  if  I  tell  you  that  you  are  a 
snivelling  coward." 

"Pray,  don't  hide  behind  my  temporary  rank,"  I 
answered  hotly.  "  I  waive  it,  gladly.  Anything,  for 
a  chance  to  puncture  that  rotten  carcass  of  yours  or 
to  get  a  good  fair  crack  at  your  smooth  face." 

It  was  a  foolish  speech.  I  knew  it  the  moment  it 
was  out.  But  I  never  had  acquired  self-restraint 
when  aggravated  by  those  I  disliked — and  I  despised 
Lotzen.  Possibly,  he  had  far  better  ground  for 
despising  me.  Had  our  positions  been  reversed,  I  am 
quite  sure  I  would  have  viewed  him  much  as  he  did 
me — a  foreigner — an  interloper — a  scheming  usurper 
— a  thief. 

My  explosion  seemed  to  calm  the  Duke.  He 
looked  at  me,  intently,  for  a  moment;  then  bowed 
gravely. 

"I  beg  Your  Highness's  pardon,"  he  said;  "you 
are  not  a  coward." 

I  might  not  be  outdone,  so  I  bowed  back  at  him. 
"Thank  you,"  said  I;  "and  I  also  beg  your  pardon 
and  withdraw  my  adjectives." 

" Merci,  Your  Highness,"  he  answered.  "Let  us 
consider  the  matter  closed  ?  " 

"With  pleasure,"  said  I. 

"And  I  shall  hope  to  have  the  honor  of  crossing 
swords — foils,  I  mean,  with  you,  some  day,"  he 
said  meaningly. 

"The  hope  is  intensely  mutual,  my  dear  Duke,"  I 
answered. 


S52     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

He  drew  himself  up  to  attention  and  saluted 
stiffly.  I  returned  it  in  kind. 

"  And,  with  Your  Highness's  permission,"  I  said, 
"  I  shall  ask  you  to  refrain  from  communicating  with 
Mrs.  Spencer.  I  appreciate  your  offer  but,  upon 
second  thought,  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  it." 

"  As  you  wish,  monsieur,"  said  he;  "  as  you  wish.'* 


XX 

A  TRICK  OF  FENCE 

AFTER  Lotzen  had  gone,  and  I  was  able  to  do  a  bit 
of  reflecting,  I  was  pretty  well  convinced  that  he  had 
got  about  as  much  out  of  me  as  I  had  out  of  him. 
Of  course,  our  mutual  distrust  and  dislike  were  now 
openly  avowed;  but  we  had  known  it  quite  as  well 
before — just  as  he  had  been  aware  of  my  designs 
on  the  Crown  and  my  partiality  for  the  Princess, 
and,  I,  of  his  purpose  to  defeat  me  for  both.  He 
had,  to  use  a  military  term,  made  a  reconnoissance  in 
force;  and  I  had  tried  to  meet  him  in  kind  and  to 
prevent  him  uncovering  my  exact  position.  How  well 
I  had  succeeded,  however,  was  very  problematical; 
for  I  could  not  know  what  particular  information  he 
sought.  I  was  satisfied,  however,  his  main  purpose 
was  to  discover  whether  I  had  any  knowledge  or 
suspicion  of  him  being  back  of  Madeline  Spencer. 
And  I  was  not  so  sure  I  had  bluffed  him.  I  began  to 
fancy  he  had  seen  through  me,  at  once,  and  had 
played  me  off  against  myself,  so  to  speak.  And,  the 
longer  I  meditated,  the  more  the  fancy  gripped  me. 
Finally,  in  disgust,  I  summoned  Bernheim  and 
Moore. 

253 


254    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Which  of  you,"  said  I,  "  will  do  me  the  favor  of  a 
few  passes  with  the  foils  ?  " 

Of  course,  they  both  offered. 

"Good,"  said  I;  "I'll  take  you,  in  turn.  Send  an 
orderly  to  the  armory  for  the  paraphernalia." 

I  fell  to  divesting  myself  of  my  upper  garments, 
and  Bernheim  and  Moore  followed  suit. 

"By  the  way,"  I  said,  "what  sort  of  a  fencer  is 
Lotzen?" 

Bernheim  turned  and  looked  at  me,  sharply. 
Moore  stopped  with  his  shirt  half  off  and  did  the 
same. 

"There  is  only  one  better  in  Valeria,"  said 
Bernheim. 

"So! "said  I.    "And  he?" 

The  grey  eyes  twinkled  and  he  actually  smiled 
as  he  answered. 

"Colonel  Moore,  of  Your  Highness's  Personal 
Staff." 

It  was  my  turn  to  be  surprised.  "Then,  he  is  a 
very  modest  gentleman,"  I  said. 

"  Like  master  like  man,"  was  the  ready  Irish  reply. 

"You're  a  sad  blarneyer,"  I  laughed.  "You  will 
be  letting  me  disarm  you,  next." 

"No  I  won't,  sir,  voluntarily,"  he  answered. 
"You  are  not  the  Lotzen  sort." 

"You  have  fenced  with  him?" 

"Frequently." 

"  And  disarmed  him  ?  " 

I  saw  Bernheim  smile. 


A  TRICK  OF  FENCE  255 

"Yes,  once — the  first  time  we  engaged.  He  has 
disliked  me  ever  since." 

"I  am  rather  astonished  at  you,"  I  said;  "where 
was  your  finesse  ?  " 

"  It  was  quite  unintentional.  He  tried  to  work 
a  coup  that  is  very  little  known.  Instead  of  the 
regular  defence  I  used  one  I  had  myself  developed — 
and  which  ends  in  a  wrench.  I  gave  it  a  bit  too 
vigorously  and  the  Duke  dropped  his  foil. 

Bernheim  gave  a  gruff  laugh.  "Dropped  it!"  he 
exclaimed.  "Aye,  and  so  lightly  it  flew  twenty  feet 
and  hit  the  wall  near  the  roof." 

"  I  think,"  said  I,  "  I  would  like  to  know  that  coup 
and  its  defences." 

"They  are  yours,  sir,"  he  said.  "But  I  am  at  a 
loss  where  Lotzen  got  the  attack.  It  isn't  known  to 
six  persons  in  Europe — even  among  the  maitres." 

"  And  your  own  defence  ?  " 

"Is,  I  am  sure,  known  to  me,  alone.  The  man, 
with  whom  I  worked  it  out,  died  a  week  after  it  was 
perfected." 

"But,  you  have  fenced  with  Lotzen  frequently 
since  then,  you  say  ?  " 

"Many  times,  sir." 

"Hasn't  he  invariably  used  that  particular 
attack  ?  " 

"And  been  met  always  by  the  regular  defence. 
I  took  no  chances  on  his  discovering  the  secret. 
I  am  confident  he  thinks,  now,  I  disarmed  him  by  a 
mere  accident " 


256    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  I  suppose  you  let  him  score  on  you  occasionally  ?  " 
I  said. 

Moore  shook  his  head.  "  Never,  unless  it  were  the 
very  limit  of  his  reach.  I  don't  trust  him — some 
times,  buttons  are  lost  from  foils.  I  try  to  be  very 
diplomatic  by  touching  him  very  infrequently. 
Though  I  rather  think  it  is  pearls  before  swine; 
for  he  is  too  good  a  fencer  not  to  see  I  am  sparing 
him,  and  too  jealously  vindictive  to  appreciate  my 
courtesy." 

I  picked  up  a  foil  and  made  it  whistle  through  the 
air. 

"Come,  Colonel  Bernheim,"  I  said,  "I  am  at 
your  service.  Shall  we  use  the  masks  ?  " 

"For  Your  Highness's  sake,  yes,"  he  answered. 
"I'm  apt  to  be  a  trifle  wild  at  times." 

There  was  nothing  especially  graceful  about  my 
senior  Aide;  and,  besides  being  past  the  prime  of 
life,  he  was  of  a  rather  bulky  tallness,  stolid  and 
phlegmatic.  I  could  readily  imagine  his  style,  and  a 
very  few  passes  confirmed  it.  He  was  of  the  ordinary 
type  and  I  could  have  run  him  through  without  the 
least  effort.  As  it  was,  I  touched  him,  presently, 
once  on  each  arm — then  disengaged  and  saluted. 

"I  thank  Your  Highness,"  he  said;  "it  could  just 
as  well  have  been  my  heart  and  throat  a  dozen  times." 

"I  am  younger  and  more  active,"  I  explained. 

But  he  smiled  it  down.  "I  am  not  sensitive,  sir. 
Besides,  it  gives  me  joy." 

I  supposed  he  was  thinking  of  Lotzen. 


A  TRICK  OF  FENCE  257 

After  a  short  rest,  Moore  and  I  faced  each  other. 

"Let  us  cut  the  parades,"  I  said — and  Bernheim 
gave  the  word  to  engage. 

Without  conceit  I  can  say  that  I  am  more  than 
moderately  skillful  with  the  sword.  It  is,  possibly, 
the  one  hobby  of  my  life.  My  father  and  grand 
father  before  me  were  strong  fencers,  and  one  of  my 
earliest  recollections  is  being  given  a  toy  foil  and  put 
through  the  parades.  There  is  a  saying  that  "a 
swordsman  is  born  not  made,"  and  it  is  a  true  one. 
But,  unless  there  is  hard  study  and  training  from 
childhood,  the  birth  gift  is  wasted  and  there  is  only 
a  made-fencer  in  the  end.  My  good  sire  had  appre 
ciated  this  fact,  and  not  only  gave  me  the  best  in 
structors  obtainable  in  America,  but,  in  my  second 
year's  vacation  from  "The  Point,"  he  took  me  to 
Paris  and  kept  me  hard  at  work  under  the  best 
French  maztres.  From  that  time,  on  I  had  practiced 
assiduously,  and  spending  all  my  leaves  in  Europe 
and  fencing  in  all  the  best  schools  of  the  Continent. 

Our  blades  had  little  more  than  crossed  when  I 
knew  that  it  would  take  all  my  skill  to  hold  my  own, 
even  for  a  short  time.  Moore  was,  far  and  away,  the 
best  fencer  I  had  ever  encountered;  and  I  thought  I 
had  faced  about  all  the  famous  ones  of  first  force. 
His  agility  was  amazing;  his  wrist  like  steel;  his 
anticipation  masterly.  For  every  time  I  touched  him, 
he  touched  me  twice;  though  none,  on  either  side, 
would  have  been  more  than  a  scratch.  Then,  in  the 
midst  of  a  fierce  rally,  I  forced  a  pretty  opening  and  I 
17 


258     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

thrust.  No  guard  seemed  possible — it  was  a  sure 
coeur.  The  next  instant,  there  came  a  wrench,  that 
almost  tore  off  my  fingers,  and  my  foil  flew  across  the 
room.  Moore  had  led  me  into  the  final  position  of 
Lotzen's  attack,  and  had  disarmed  me  exactly  as  he 
had  the  Duke. 

I  held  out  my  left  hand  to  him — the  right  still 
tingled. 

"Beautiful!"  I  said.  "It's  a  marvellous  defence 
and  marvellously  done." 

Moore  bowed  very  low  over  my  hand.  "It  is  a 
pleasure  to  serve  under  Your  Highness,"  he  said. 

"Aye!  that  it  is,"  said  Bernheim. 

He  would  be  a  very  queer  individual  who  would  not 
be  affected  by  such  sincerity;  and  I  told  them  so,  and 
feelingly. 

Then  Moore  showed  me  the  attack  and  its  two 
defences;  and  I  practiced  them  with  him  until  I  had 
them  perfectly  at  command. 

"What  would  be  my  chances  against  Lotzen?"  I 
asked. 

"You  could  kill  him  easily,"  said  Moore.  "Only, 
be  careful  of  his  play  in  tierce;  he  is  very  strong  in 
that." 

"I  don't  know  that  I  want  to  kill  him,"  I  said. 
"Yet,  neither  do  I  care  for  him  to  kill  me." 

Both  looked  at  me  in  quick  interrogation.  I 
motioned  for  them  to  sit  down. 

"I've  had  a  visit  from  the  Duke,  this  afternoon," 
I  said.  And  I  told  them  the  entire  interview. 


A  TRICK  OF  FENCE  259 

Bernheim    smiled    sourly,    when    I    had    ended. 

"You  may  have  good  use,  sir,  for  that  trick  of 
fence,"  he  said.  "Lotzen  means  mischief  and  that 
promptly." 

"Evidently,  his  visit  with  His  Majesty  and  the 
Princess  was  not  to  his  satisfaction,"  Moore  re 
marked;  "and,  if  Your  Highness  can  ascertain  just 
what  did  occur  there,  I'll  wager  it  will  account  for  his 
conduct  to-day." 

"  And  it  would  be  just  as  well  for  Your  Highness  to 
wear  a  steel  vest,"  said  Bernheim;  "it's  very  handy 
to  turn  a  knife  or  a  revolver  bullet." 

I  laughed.  "Of  course,  steel  vests  are  such 
ordinary  articles  of  attire  they  can  be  purchased  in 
any  shop." 

"I'll  supply  the  vest,"  he  answered,  "if  Your 
Highness  will  use  it." 

"  It  seems  absurd,"  I  declared. 

"  It's  a  wise  precaution,  sir,"  Moore  urged. 

"  One  might  suppose  we  were  back  in  the  days  of 
the  Guises,"  I  said.  "However,  bring  your  coat  of 
mail  around  to-night  and  I'll  look  it  over.  But,  I 
warn  you,  it  will  have  to  be  a  very  snug  fit." 

"  I  will  answer  for  that,  also,"  said  Bernheim. 

Later  in  the  afternoon,  I  rode  over  to  the  Field  of 
Mars — a  huge  piece  of  ground  on  the  Lake  front — 
for  the  evening  parade  of  the  Cuirassiers  of  the 
Guard.  This  was  their  one  hundred  and  fiftieth 
anniversary,  and  on  every  one  of  them  it  had  been 
the  unbroken  custom  for  the  then  Governor  of 


260    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Dornlitz  to  be  present  and  pass  the  Regiment  in 
Review — saving,  of  course,  in  war-time,  when  it 
chanced  to  be  in  active  service  in  the  field. 

The  crowd  of  spectators  was  enormous.  The 
Valerians  seem  to  have  a  genuine  love  for  their 
Army — largely,  I  fancy,  because  the  Army  is  not 
permitted  to  tyrannize  over  the  citizen.  Because  a 
man  wore  the  King's  uniform  gave  him  no  privilege 
to  insult  or  to  maltreat  those  who  did  not;  and 
conferred  no  immunity  from  proper  and  adequate 
punishment  if  he  did.  The  Dalberg  principle  is 
similar  to  the  American;  that  the  Army  is  the 
guardian  of  the  civilian,  not  his  oppressor;  and  that 
its  business  is  to  protect  not  to  browbeat.  For 
generations,  it  has  been  instilled  into  the  Valerian 
soldier  that  his  uniform  could  be  smirched  only  by 
himself — and  stern,  indeed,  was  the  judgment  of 
him  who  ventured  to  think  and  do  otherwise.  For 
an  officer  to  strike  a  civilian  without  just  cause 
meant  to  be  cashiered;  and  to  kill  one,  save  as 
justified  by  the  civil  law,  meant  to  be  hung  as  a 
common  felon.  I  had  seen  enough  of  the  other 
Continental  Annies  to  be  very  proud  of  the  Army  of 
Valeria. 

It  was  a  pretty  sight — the  long  line  of  white 
uniformed  Cuirassiers  in  burnished  corselets  and 
black-plumed  helmets;  with  the  Lake  for  a  back 
ground,  and  rank  on  rank  of  spectators  on  either 
side.  In  front,  were  the  carriages  of  the  Aristocracy 
of  the  Capital;  and,  as  I  galloped  down  to  take  post 


A  TRICK  OF  FENCE  261 

after  the  review,  I  could  not  but  wonder  how  many  of 
all  that  crowd  regarded  me  with  a  friendly  eye. 
Behind  me  clattered  a  brilliant  Staff,  and  in  my  hand 
was  the  Baton  of  a  Marshal,  yet,  never  in  my  life, 
had  I  felt  so  utterly  alone  as  at  that  moment.  And 
Lotzen's  recent  sneer,  that  I  could  hope  to  hold  the 
Crown  only  if  the  Princess  Dehra  were  my  Queen, 
struck  [me  in  all  its  truth.  Surely,  it  was  the 
climax  of  absurdity  for  me  to  aspire  to  rule  this 
people,  to  whom  I  was  a  stranger  and  in  whose  eyes 
I  would  be,  in  effect,  a  pure  usurper. 

Then  the  great  band  of  the  Regiment  blared  out, 
and  I  settled  myself  for  the  march-by. 

When  it  was  over,  and  the  last  troop  had  broken 
into  column  and  had  trotted  away,  I  dismissed  my 
Staff,  except  Moore,  and  rode  across  to  where  I  had 
noticed  Lady  Helen  Radnor. 

"If  you  were  not  a  Prince  I  would  not  speak  to 
you,"  she  said,  as  I  dismounted. 

"Then,"  said  I,  as  I  bowed  over  her  hand,  "there 
is  some  compensation  in  being  a  Prince." 

"I  have  not  seen  you  for  ages,"  she  complained. 

"  I've  been  very  busy." 

"That  is  no  excuse  among  friends,  sir;  besides, 
the  Princess  has  been  away  for  weeks." 

"I  did  not  imagine  you  would  miss  me,"  I  said — 
and  glanced  at  her  left  hand. 

She  laughed,  and  held  it  up.  "  The  finger  is  quite 
bare,  she  said;  "but,  I'll  take  off  the  glove,  if  you 
wish." 


262    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  I'm  sorry,"  I  said.    "  He  is  such  a  good  chap." 

She  raised  her  eyebrows. 

I  leaned  a  bit  closer.  "You  won't  refuse  him 
when  he  does  offer  ?  "  I  asked. 

"I  suppose  an  Archduke  cannot  be  impertinent," 
she  said. 

"Not  when  he  does'nt  mean  to  be,"  said  I. 

"Do  you  know,"  said  she  slowly,  and  looking  at 
me  hard,  the  while,  "  I  was  foolish  enough  to  think, 
very  long  ago,  that  you  rather  liked  me,  yourself." 

"And  it's  just  because  I  do — that  I  hoped  the 
finger  wasn't  bare,"  I  answered. 

"How  deliciously  unselfish!"  she  exclaimed. 
"You  will  next  be  resigning  the  Princess  to  His 
Grace  of  Lotzen." 

"  Quite  between  ourselves,  I'll  be  doing  nothing  of 
the  sort,"  I  said,  with  mock  confidentialness. 

"Nevertheless,  I  think  I'll  tell  the  Duke  he  has 
only  to  wait,"  said  she. 

"And  I'll  confide  to  Courtney  he  has  only  to  ask 
to  be  taken,"  I  returned. 

She  laughed.  "You  might  do  it  right  now — here 
he  is." 

I  turned  just  as  Courtney  dismounted. 

"  May  I  intrude,  Your  Royal  Highness  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Come  along,"  said  I;  "  Lady  Helen  wants  to  hear 
some  gossip  and  I  don't  know  any." 

A  bit  of  a  smile  came  into  his  eyes.  "And  that, 
though  you  are,  yourself,  the  most  gossiped  about 
individual  in  Dornlitz,"  he  answered. 


A  TRICK  OF  FENCE  263 

"Another  penalty  of  my  new  estate,"  said  I; 
*  the  butt  of  all  and  the  confidant  of  none." 

Courtney  tapped  my  Baton.  "Have  you  noticed, 
Lady  Helen,  what  a  steady  run  of  hard  luck  our 
friend,  here,  has  had  ever  since  he  came  to  Valeria  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"Indeed  I  have,"  said  she;  "and  I've  been  so 
sorry  for  him." 

Then  she  nodded  most  pleasantly  to  someone,  and 
Courtney  and  I  turned  and  bowed.  It  was  the 
Marquise  de  Vierle,  wife  of  the  French  Ambassador. 

"How  about  her  Masque  to-night?"  I  asked; 
"will  it  be  worth  while?" 

"It's  very  evident  you  are  .new  to  Dornlitz," 
Courtney  observed — and  Lady  Helen  laughed. 

"The  Vierle  Balls  outrival  even  the  Court  func 
tions,"  she  explained. 

"  Are  you  going  ?  "  I  asked  her. 

"lam,  indeed." 

"  And  you,  Courtney  ?  " 

"I  shall  look  in  late." 

I  motioned  to  Moore.  "  Who  is  on  duty  to-night  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"I  am,  sir." 

"Could  you  manage  two  costumes  for  the  Vierle 
Masque  ?  " 

"Quite  readily,  sir." 

"Very  good,"  I  said.  "And  let  them  be  as  near 
alike  as  possible,"  I  added. 

By  this  time  the  Field  was  almost  deserted,  and, 


264     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

at  Lady  Helen's  suggestion,  Courtney  and  I  turned 
our  horses  over  to  my  orderly  and  drove  back  with 
her. 

"I  suppose,"  said  I,  "that  fancy  dress  is  required 
to-night." 

"It  is  absolutely  de  rigueur"  said  Courtney;  "and 
there  is  no  unmasking." 

"Really!"  said  I.    "It  promises  very  well." 

"And  it  realizes  all  it  promises — maybe,  a  bit 
more,"  Lady  Helen  laughed. 

"  How  shall  I  recognize  you  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  considered  a  moment.  "I  am  to  stay  the 
night  with  the  Marquise,  and  we  shall  both  wear 
white  silk  court  gowns  of  the  period  of  Henry  of 
Navarre.  I'll  also  put  a  red  rose  in  my  hair." 

"And  I,"  said  Courtney,  "will  be  caparisoned  in  a 
plum  velvet  court  suit,  a  la  Louis  Quinze.  You  will 
know  me  easily  by  the  awkward  way  I  handle  the 
high  red  heels." 

"As  I  don't  know  what  Moore  will  provide  for 
me,"  said  I,  "I  will  adopt  Lady  Helen's  rose;  and, 
as  I  can't  fasten  it  in  my  hair,  I'll  carry  it  in  my 
mouth." 

"  A  good  idea,"  said  Courtney;  "  and  I'll  put  one  ia 
my  button  hole." 


XXI 

THE   BAL   MASQUE 

WHEN  Moore  and  I  entered  the  French  Embassy, 
that  night,  my  own  valet  could  not  have  distinguished 
which  was  the  Aide  and  which  the  Archduke. 
By  some  means,  which  I  did  not  bother  to  inquire, 
Moore  had  secured  two  suits  of  black  velvet,  of  the 
time  of  the  Thirteenth  Louis,  which  were  marvels  in 
fit  and  style.  We  were  of  one  height  and  very 
similar  in  frame — there  being  but  a  few  pounds 
difference  in  our  weights — and,  with  the  long  curls 
under  the  big  hats  with  their  flowing  plumes,  and  the 
black  silk  masks,  we  were  as  alike  as  twins.  Even 
our  swords  were  similar — long,  leather-sheathed 
rapiers  with  dead  gold  hilts. 

Under  my  doublet  I  laced  the  steel  vest  Bernheim 
brought  me.  It  and  one  other  were  made  by  a 
famous  Milan  armorer  three  hundred  years  ago, 
Bernheim  said;  and  the  two  had  been  in  his  family 
ever  since.  And,  so  far  as  he  knew,  there  were  no 
others  like  them  in  all  Europe;  not  even  in  the 
Museums.  It  was  a  wonderful  piece  of  work, 
truly.  The  links  were  small  and  yielding  and  so 
cunningly  joined  that  it  was  as  pliable  as  knitted 

265 


£66    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

wool,  and  much  less  bulky.  Indeed,  when  rolled 
into  a  ball,  it  was  no  bigger  than  a  man's  fist.  It 
looked  quite  too  flimsy  to  afford  any  protection;  yet, 
when  I  saw  it  proof  against  a  bullet  fired  from  a 
revolver  and  also  turn  repeated  sword  thrusts,  I  was, 
perforce,  convinced.  And  I  was  completely  won 
when  I  donned  it;  it  was  like  a  vest  of  silk.  And  I 
was  well  pleased  it  was  so;  for  I  was  wearing  it 
simply  to  oblige  good  old  Bernheim,  who  seemed  so 
earnest  about  it.  I  had  no  notion  it  would  be  of  any 
service  to  me  that  night. 

As  everyone  came  masked,  admission  was,  of 
course,  only  by  card,  after  which  all  were  conducted 
singly  to  a  small  room  where  the  mask  was  removed 
and  identification  satisfactorily  established  by  the 
Ambassador's  Secretary. 

It  chanced,  when  my  turn  came,  that  the  Marquis 
de  Vierle,  himself,  was  in  the  room;  and,  when  he 
saw  my  face,  his  welcome  was  intensely  ardent.  He 
apologized  effusively  that  I  had  been  received  at  the 
regular  entrance  and,  so,  had  been  compelled  to  wait 
my  turn  for  identification — but,  surely,  my  regrets 
had  been  noted. 

I  told  him  he  was  quite  right — that  I  had  regretted, 
and  that  the  apology  was,  really,  due  from  me  for 
coming,  and  that  I  had  enjoyed  being  pushed  and 
jostled,  once  again,  like  an  ordinary  mortal.  He 
wanted  to  treat  me  with  all  the  deference  due  me  and 
I  very  firmly  declined.  I  told  him,  frankly,  I  was 
there  to  see  and  enjoy  and  not  to  be  seen  nor  to  re- 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  267 

ceive  special  attentions.  I  asked  him,  as  a  particular 
favor,  to  tell  no  one  of  my  presence  and  to  permit  me 
to  remain  absolutely  incog. ;  that,  for  this  night,  I  was 
plain  Armand  Dalberg  and  not  a  Royal  Highness  nor 
an  Archduke. 

The  house  was  one  of  the  largest  in  the  Capital, 
standing  in  a  park  of  its  own,  on  the  edge  of  the  inner 
town,  and  had  been  the  residence  of  the  French 
Legation  for  a  century.  It  had  been  improved  and 
added  to,  at  various  periods,  until  it  had  taken  on 
about  every  known  style  of  architecture.  And,  as  a 
result,  there  were  queer  passages  and  many  unex 
pected  recesses.  The  furniture  was  as  varied  as  the 
building;  and  the  tapestries  and  pictures  and  fres 
coes  were  rather  famous.  The  grounds,  however, 
were  the  main  attraction;  they  covered  twenty  acres 
and  were  maintained  exactly  as  originally  laid  out 
by  a  famous  Italian  landscape  artist — with  immense 
trees  and  huge  hedges  and  narrow  walks  and  wonder 
ful  vistas. 

The  Marquise  de  Vierle  welcomed  her  guests 
alone  in  one  of  the  small  reception  rooms;  every 
one  entering  singly  and  unmasking — she,  her 
self,  being,as  yet,  in  ordinary  evening  dress.  She 
was  a  very  handsome  woman,  much  younger 
than  the  Marquis,  and  of  the  very  oldest  French 
Aristocracy — a  grande  dame  in  bearing  as  well  as 
in  birth. 

"Your  Royal  Highness  does  us  great  honor,"  she 
said,  as  I  bowed  over  her  hand. 


268    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

I  answered  her  in  suit,  and  we  tossed  the  usual 
number  of  compliments  back  and  forth. 

"Whom  shall  we  bid  join  you  at  supper?'*  she 
asked. 

" My  dear  Marquise,"  I  protested,  "you  have  your 
personal  party  selected — doubtless  invited;  and  my 
unexpected  coming  must  not  break  your  arrange 
ments.  Let  me  wander  about,  and  pay  no  more 
regard  to  me  than  to  your  most  ordinary  guest." 

But  she  declined  to  excuse  me;  insisting  that  she 
had  made  no  choice,  except  Lady  Helen  Radnor, 
who  happened  to  be  staying  the  night  with  her.  So, 
without  being  churlish,  I  could  decline  no  longer. 

"  If  your  Ladyship  will  make  the  list  very  small, 
and,  then,  engage  to  give  me  all  your  smiles  I  shall 
accept  with  pleasure,"  I  said. 

"I  will  promise  both,"  she  said.  "Who  attends 
you  to-night?" 

"My  Aide,  Colonel  Moore." 

"Suppose,  then,  we  make  it  a  party  of  eight  and 
ask  Lady  Helen,  the  Countess  de  Relde,  Mademoi 
selle  d'Essolde  and  the  American  Ambassador." 

"Charming!"  I  exclaimed;  "charming!" 

"  And  what  hour  will  Your  Highness  be  served  ?  " 
she  asked. 

"At  whatever  hour  Madame  la  Marquise  fixes." 

"Say,  one  o'clock,  then — in  the  blue  breakfast 
room;  it  is  quiet  and  retired." 

I  bowed  again  over  her  hand  and  was  withdrawing, 
when  the  Marquise  stopped  me. 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  269 

"  Would  not  Your  Highness  like  to  know  some  of 
the  Masques  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Very  much,  indeed,"  said  I. 

"Then  you  will  find  a  chair  in  the  recess  behind 
the  curtains,  yonder — and,  when  you  are  tired,  there 
is  a  door,  which  slides  without  noise,  opening  into 
a  private  corridor  leading  to  the  Garden.  Com- 
prenez  vous,  Monsieur  le  Prince  ? " 

I  laughed.  "  Perfectly,"  said  I.  "  And  I  may  have 
Colonel  Moore  with  me  ?  There  will  be  many  faces  I 
shall  not  know." 

"He  is  without?"  she  asked. 

"Yes — and  costumed  somewhat  like  myself." 

She  touched  a  bell;  I  held  up  my  mask. 

"Admit  the  gentleman  in  black  velvet,  like 
Monsieur,"  she  ordered. 

"Goodness!"  she  exclaimed,  when  Moore 
entered. 

"Puzzle,"  said  I.    "Pick  the  Archduke." 

"Impossible — and,  if  you  two  go  around  to 
gether,  some  of  my  guests  will  think  they  are  getting 
double  vision  very  early  in  the  evening." 

From  the  recess,  we  could  see  all  that  entered  and 
hear  every  word  said.  And  it  struck  me  how  very 
eloquent  it  was  of  the  character  of  the  Marquise  de 
Vierle  that  she  should,  deliberately,  provide  a 
concealed  audience  while  she  greeted — alone — every 
man  and  woman  of  Dornlitz  Society.  I  must  admit 
I  rather  enjoyed  the  experience — though  I  very 
rarely  guessed  the  face  behind  the  mask.  It  is 


270     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

astonishing  how  effectively  an  unusual  costume 
disguises  even  those  we  know  well. 

Suddenly,  the  Marquis  entered  hurriedly. 

"Do  you  know,  Claire,"  he  said,  "that  the  Amer 
ican  Archduke  is  here  to-night  ?  " 

Instantly  I  laid  my  hand  on  the  sliding  door.  It 
was  time  for  us  to  be  going.  And  the  door  refused 
to  move.  I  looked  at  Moore,  who  shrugged  his 
shoulders.  I  could  imagine  the  smile  his  mask 
concealed.  But  the  Marquise  met  the  situation 
with  a  laugh. 

"I  do  indeed — and  I  rather  fancy  you  will  find 
His  Highness  in  yonder  recess,"  she  said. 

I  parted  the  curtains  and  stepped  out — and 
Colonel  Moore  beside  me. 

"Madame  la  Marquise  has  taken  pity  on  the 
stranger,"  I  said;  "and  has  given  him  an  oppor 
tunity  to  recognize  his  friends." 

If  the  diplomat  were  surprised,  no  one  would  have 
guessed  it>~-except  that  his  bow  was  more  than 
usually  low. 

"  It  is  a  great  privilege,  my  dear  Prince,  if  we  can 
be  of  any  use  to  you,"  he  said. 

I  took  a  sudden  resolve.  "I  very  much  fear  my 
unexpected  presence  to-night  is  a  source  of  concern 
and  inconvenience  to  Your  Excellency,"  I  said. 
"  With  your  permission  I  will  take  my  leave,"  and  I 
made  to  go. 

Vierle  came  quickly  to  me. 

"It  will  make  the  Marquise  and  me  most  un- 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  271 

happy,  if  you  do,"  he  said.  "And  I  shall  tell  you 
frankly  what  brought  me  here.  The  lady  who 
styles  herself  your  wife  is  among  the  guests — she  is  in 
the  next  room,  now,  waiting  to  be  admitted.  My 
purpose  was  to  have  the  Marquise  request  her  to 
depart  at  once." 

I  laughed,  and  put  my  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"  So  far  as  I  am  concerned,"  I  said,  "  I  pray  you  do 
nothing  of  the  sort.  The  lady  does  not  bother  me  in 
the  slightest.  Besides,  she  will  not  know  I'm  here — 
and  I  shall  not  present  myself  to  her,  you  may  be 
sure." 

"  Yet,  we  owe  Your  Highness  an  explanation  of  her 
presence,"  the  Marquise  exclaimed. 

"  My  dear  Madame  de  Vierle,  you  owe  me  nothing 
of  the  sort,"  I  said.  "  I  am  still  enough  of  an  Ameri 
can  to  think  that  a  hostess  is  never  called  upon  to 
explain  a  guest.  And,  what  is  more,  the  whole 
difficulty  is  of  my  own  making,  in  coming  after  I  had 
declined." 

"Surely,  Your  Highness  is  very  gra»cious;  yet,  I 
would  very  much  prefer  to  explain,"  she  said.  "It 
was  this  way:  Madeline  Stafford  and  I  were  friends 
and  schoolmates  in  Paris.  We  both  married  about 
the  same  time  and,  then,  lost  touch  with  each  other. 
I  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  from  her  until  I  received 
a  note  some  weeks  ago.  After  Your  Highness  regretted 
for  to-night,  I  sent  her  a  card.  I  mentioned  the 
matter  to  the  Duke  of  Lotzen  and  he  said  that, 
under  the  circumstances,  and  as  everyone  would  be 


272    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

masked,  it  would  be  entirely  proper.  That  is  my 
explanation." 

"And  one  amply  sufficient;  even  if  any  were 
required,"  I  said. 

I  thought  I  saw  my  dear  cousin's  game. 

"  And  you  are  quite  sure  you  do  not  object  to  her 
remaining  ?  " 

"Quite  sure,"  said  I;  "and  I  even  hope  she  will 
enjoy  herself.  I  shall,  I  know.  And,  at  supper, 
I'll  confide  my  adventures  to  your  Ladyship."  Then 
I  took  a  shot  in  the  dark.  "  And  I  know  His  Highness 
of  Lotzen  will  be  forever  sorry  he  could  not  be  here 
to-night,"  I  added. 

"He  was  good  enough  to  call  and  tell  me  so,"  was 
the  answer. 

I  was  sure,  now,  I  saw  my  dear  cousin's  game. 

Then  I  bowed  over  the  Marquise's  hand  and 
Moore  and  I  went  out  through  the  sliding  door — 
which,  when  the  Marquis  rolled  it  back  for  us,  I 
saw  was  not  locked.  In  my  haste  I  had  not  seen  the 
small  brass  button  which  released  the  latch. 

"It's  a  pity  Vierle  didn't  tell  us  what  costume 
Mrs.  Spencer  is  wearing,"  Moore  remarked,  as  we 
reached  the  Garden. 

I  stopped  short.  "What  a  blunderer  I  am.  It 
would  be  better  if  you  did  the  thinking  for  me." 

"  Shall  I  go  back  and  ask  him  ?  " 

"  It  will  keep  until  supper,"  said  I.  "  In  the  mean- 
time,  let  us  hunt  up  Courtney  and  Lady  Helen."  I 
explained  to  him  how  to  distinguish  them;  then, 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  273 

taking  from  my  doublet  a  small  pa.ckage  wrapped  in 
foil,  I  selected  a  red  rose  and  put  it  in  my  mouth. 

"Now,"  said  I,  "let  us  have  a  look  around." 

For  a  time  I  was  more  occupied  with  the  beauty  of 
the  Garden  than  with  my  fellow-masques,  and  I  left 
it  to  Moore  to  keep  a  careful  eye  for  the  other  two  red 
roses.  I  could  not  but  notice,  however,  that  we  were 
attracting  much  attention;  by  reason,  I  assumed,  of 
our  striking  similarity ;  and  a  number  of  times  Moore 
replied  wittily  to  some  pleasant  banter  flung  at  us. 
I  should  say,  perhaps,  that  the  grounds  were  so 
thoroughly  lighted  with  electricity  that  they  were  as 
bright  as  day;  the  lamps  being  so  carefully  distributed 
that  there  were,  practically,  no  shadows. 

Presently,  on  the  bank  of  a  miniature  lake  near  the 
farthest  wall,  we  came  upon  three  women  and  a  man. 

"The  Dromios,"  said  one  of  the  women. 

"Satan's  Twins,"  laughed  another. 

"A  pair  of  black  Knaves,"  echoed  the  third. 

The  man  laughed,  but  said  nothing. 

I  put  my  hand  through  Moore's  arm  and  swung 
him  around. 

"  Why  not  add  us  to  your  own  Knave  and  then 
give  us  a  Queen  apiece  ? "  I  asked. 

She,  who  had  spoken  last,  clapped  her  hands. 

"Delicious!"  she  exclaimed.  "Will  monsieur  be 
my  Knave?" 

The  voice  was  very  soft  and  musical,  and  I  saw 
Moore  glance  quickly  at  her. 

"That  will  I,  my  lady,"  said  I;  and  stepped 
18 


274     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

forward  and  kissed  her  hand;  then  drew  it  through 
my  arm. 

"Who  chooses  the  other  black  Knave?"  asked 
Moore,  sweeping  off  his  hat,  and  bowing  with  it  held 
across  his  heart.  I  noted  he  had  changed  his  voice. 

"I  do,"  said  she  who  had  styled  us  "Satan's 
Twins;"  and  she  gave  him  her  hand. 

He,  who  had  been  with  them,  shrugged  his  shoul 
ders  and  turned  to  her  who  had  spoken  first. 

"Mademoiselle,"  said  he,  "I  am  waiting  to  be 
chosen." 

She  laughed.  "Mademoiselle  will  be  deeply 
honored,"  she  said,  "if  monsieur  will  deign  to 
accept  the  only  Queen  that  is  left." 

It  chanced  that  none  of  these  four  Masques  had 
gone  through  the  reception  room  while  we  were 
behind  the  curtains,  so,  of  course,  I  had  not  the 
slightest  notion  of  their  identity.  It  was  quite 
possible  Moore  would  be  able  to  make  a  good  guess ; 
and,  I  fancied,  he  had  already  placed  my  Queen — 
she  of  the  musical  laugh.  However,  so  long  as  they 
did  not  discover  me,  it  mattered  not  at  all  who  they 
were.  I  could  trust  Moore  to  get  me  away  from 
them  if  he  found  it  wise.  So  I  devoted  myself  to  my 
companion. 

She  was  of  good  height  and  rather  slender,  and 
wore  a  blue  gown,  with  powdered  hair.  Her  face  and 
ears  were  completely  hidden  by  her  mask,  but, 
judging  from  the  bit  of  neck  that  was  visible,  and 
other  indications,  she  was  not  over  twenty-five.  I  let 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  275 

her  pick  the  way,  and  we  led  the  others  slowly  around 
through  the  part  of  the  Garden  most  removed  from 
the  house  and  where  the  Masques  were  fewest.  I 
took  it,  that  she  had  no  desire  to  be  prominent,  and  I 
was  very  well  content. 

She  was  a  rare  flirt,  though — that,  I  knew,  before 
we  had  gone  a  hundred  yards;  and  it  kept  my 
wits  very  busy  to  hold  my  own  even  moderately 
well,  and  to  keep  from  giving  her  any  clue  to  my 
identity. 

"Do  you  know,  monsieur,"  she  said,  presently, 
"  you  and  your  friend  are  not  the  only  two  men  here, 
to-night,  who  are  dressed  alike  ? " 

"  Are  they  black  knaves,  too  ? "   I  asked. 

She  tapped  me  on  the  arm  with  her  fan. 

"Don't  be  sarcastic,  my  dear,"  she  said;  "though, 
I  admit,  we  were  very  forward." 

"Nonsense!"  I  replied.  "This  is  a  Masque. 
Only,  are  you  quite  sure  we  were  the  first  men  you 
bantered  ?  " 

"You  forget,  sir;  Folly  has  no  past,"  she  said. 

"  A  true  word,  mademoiselle,"  I  agreed.  "  Shall  it 
be  so  with  us  when  we  part?" 

She  looked  up  at  me  a  moment. 

"Monsieur  must  be  married,"  she  laughed. 

"  Every  man  is  married — or  hopes  to  be,"  said  I. 

She  tapped  me  again  with  her  fan. 

"You  forget,  again,"  she  said.  "Folly  never — 
moralizes." 

"True,"  said  I,  "she  hasn't  any  morals." 


276    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Why  make  Folly  feminine  ?  "  she  asked.  "  Me- 
thinks,  there  is  usually  a  Knave  for  every  Queen." 

"Methinks,  I  know  one  Queen  who  could  have 
Knaves  as  many  as  she  listed,"  I  answered,  bending 
down  and  trying  to  see  her  eyes. 

But  she  quickly  interposed  her  fan. 

"I  am  masked,  monsieur,"  she  said. 

I  ignored  the  reproof.  "That,"  said  I,  "is  my 
supreme  regret." 

"  Merci,  mon  ami,"  she  said.  "  You  may  kiss  my 
hand  when  you  leave  me." 

"  Only  your  hand  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Not  even  that,  now,"  she  retorted — then  turned 
and  leaned  against  the  hedge. 

Two  men  were  coming  down  the  path  toward  us. 

"Here  are  the  other  twin  Knaves,"  she  said. 

And  it  was  true  enough — they  were  as  alike  as 
Moore  and  myself;  only,  they  wore  white  satin 
small  clothes  and  powdered  perukes.  They  were  in 
earnest  conversation,  but  broke  off  as  they  neared  us. 

" Parbleul"  exclaimed  the  man  with  us.  "There 
seems  to  be  a  plague  of  twins  to-night." 

One  of  the  White  Masques  made  as  though  to 
halt,  but  the  other  whispered  something  and  tried  to 
draw  him  on. 

Our  fellow  laughed  irritatingly,  and  waved  his 
hand  toward  Moore  and  me. 

"We've  got  a  pair  of  Knaves  here,  also,"  he 
bantered ;  "  perchance,  the  four  of  you  are  from  the 
same  pack."  » 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  277 

The  White  Masque  turned  quickly.  "Then  it 
would  be  a  pack,  monsieur,  in  which  you  would  be 
about  equal  to  the  deuce,"  he  said. 

"Or  the  joker,"  said  the  other,  as  they  moved 
away,  "which,  in  a  gentleman's  game,  has  no  place." 

Our  man  made  a  quick  step  toward  them;  but 
Moore  caught  him  sharply  by  the  shoulder. 

"  Let  them  go,"  he  said  curtly. 

The  other  hesitated — then  shrugged  his  shoulders. 
"For  the  present  be  it,  then,"  he  said. 

"And,  look  you,  sir,"  Moore  went  on;  "I  do  not 
know  you,  but,  if  you  will  take  my  poor  advice,  you 
will  let  it  be  for  the  future,  too."  He  offered  his  arm 
to  his  companion.  "Mademoiselle,  shall  we  con 
tinue  the  stroll?" 

"What  a  queer  speech,"  said  my  Masque,  "one 
might  almost  fancy  they  were  of  royal  rank." 

"The  King,  possibly,"  I  suggested. 

"Nonsense,  monsieur;  you  know  perfectly  well 
His  Majesty  is  not  in  Dornlitz." 

"The  Duke  of  Lotzen  and  the  American  Arch 
duke,  then." 

She  laughed.    "Very  likely;  very  likely,  indeed!" 

"  Mademoiselle  is  pleased  to  ridicule." 

"And  monsieur  is  pleased  to  affect  ignorance." 

"Of  what?"  I  asked. 

"When  did  your  Knaveship  come  to  Dornlitz?" 

"Very  recently." 

"You  must  be  a  very  stupid — diplomat." 

"I  am,"  I  agreed. 


278    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Do  you  know  the  'American  Archduke,*  as 
you  call  him  ?  " 

"Very  slightly,"  said  I. 

"Doubtless  you  would  rather  know  his  wife,"  she 
said  na'ively. 

"Then  you  think  he  is  married?"  I  asked. 

"Of  course,  monsieur — so  does  everyone — don't 
you?" 

"No,"  said  I.     "I  don't." 

She  laughed.  "You  mean  you  don't  want  to 

think  so, madame  is  very  beautiful — n'est  ce 

pas?" 

"  Do  you  know  her  ?  "  I  asked  evasively. 

"No,  monsieur;  do  you?" 

"I  have  met  her." 

"Oh!  Oh!"  she  exclaimed.  Then  she  looked  at 
me  quickly.  "I  thought  she  received  no  visitors." 

I  shrugged  my  shoulders.  "The  lady  does  not 
interest  me,"  I  said; "  let  us  talk  of  something  else." 

"Of  the  American  Archduke,  then,"  she  sug 
gested. 

"  Why  not  of  yourself  ?  "  I  urged. 

"I  am  only  a  Masque — the  American  may  be  a 
King." 

"Not  likely,"  I  scoffed. 

"  Are  you  for  Lotzen  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"Diplomats  are  neutral,"  said  I;  "but,  entre 
nous,  I  have  become  rather  interested  in  the  Ameri 
can." 

"  So  have  I,"  said  she.    "  He  is  very  handsome." 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  279 

"Thank  you,"  I  said,  involuntarily. 

She  stopped  and  looked  at  me.  I  was  glad, 
indeed,  for  the  mask. 

"What  is  it?"  I  asked. 

"Would  you  mind  repeating  that  last  remark?" 
she  said. 

I  pretended  surprise. 

"  You  said  the  American  was  very  handsome  and  I 
said  'thank  you.'  I  mean  I  don't  agree  with  you." 

"Oh!"  she  answered. 

But  I  would  have  been  better  satisfied  if  I  could 
have  seen  her  face. 

"I  wouldn't  let  the  Valerians  know  it,"  she  went 
on.  "  He  is  the  perfect  double  of  the  great  national 
Hero." 

"So  I've  heard." 

"And  it's  no  small  item  in  his  popularity." 

"  I  didn't  know  he  was  popular,"  I  said. — This  was 
getting  interesting. 

"Really,  monsieur,  your  ignorance  of  the  very 
matters,  which  you  should  know,  would  suggest  you 
are  an  American  diplomat." 

"Your  Ladyship  is  severe,"  I  said. 

"I  meant  to  be — though  there  are  exceptions; 
the  present  Ambassador  is  one.  He  ranks  with  the 
best  of  his  fellows." 

"Now,  that,"  said  I,  "I  have  heard." 

She  laughed.  "Come,  monsieur,  lay  aside  this 
affected  ignorance  and  gossip  a  bit.  Is  the  American 
to  marry  the  Princess  Royal  ?  " 


280    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  thought  you  were  insisting,  a  moment  since, 
that  he  had  a  wife,"  I  observed. 

"Oh,  that's  of  no  consequence.  It  will  be  very 
easy  to  divorce  her." 

Here,  doubtless,  was  the  popular  view  of  this 
matter;  and  it  gave  me  the  shudders. 

Then  the  swing  of  a  waltz  came  from  the  house. 

"  Shall  we  dance  ?  "  I  said. 

She  smiled.  "  Monsieur  is  bored — let  us  wait  for 
my  friends." 

I  protested;  but  she  was  firm.  And,  so,  when  the 
others  came  up,  Moore  and  I  made  our  adieux. 

When  we  were  out  of  hearing,  Moore  handed  me  a 
bit  of  paper. 

"  This  just  reached  me,"  he  said. 

It  was  from  the  Secret  Police  and  read: 

"  S.  is  at  Vierle  Masque.  She  wears  a  gypsy  dress 
of  black  and  red.  L.  is  also  at  Masque — he  and 
Count  Bigler  are  dressed  alike  in  white  satin.  L. 
came  last  and  his  presence  is  unknown  to  the  Vierles 
for  he  avoided  unmasking  by  personating  Bigler." 

"So,  they  were  the  White  Twins,"  I  remarked. 
"You  knew  them?" 

"I  knew  only  Lotzen." 

"Hence  your  advice  to  our  quick-tempered 
companion — who  was  he  ?  " 

"I  couldn't  make  him  out,"  said  Moore;  "but  he 
knew  the  women  and  was  their  escort  from  the 
house." 

"He  seemed  to  be  a  bit  sour  about  something." 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  281 

"My  companion  said  it  was  because  the  Blue 
Masque  chose  you." 

"She  was  very  charming,"  said  I.  "Who  was 
she?" 

"I  knew  neither  his  nor  mine,"  said  he  evasively. 

"  But  mine  ? "  I  insisted.  "  She  of  the  sweet 
voice — which,  Colonel,  I  observed,  you  noted." 

He  hesitated  an  instant;  then  answered: 

"Mademoiselle  d'Essolde." 

"Indeed!"  I  exclaimed.  If  rumor  spoke  truly, 
Mademoiselle  d'Essolde  carried  Moore's  heart  in  her 
keeping.  Then  I  laughed.  "Never  mind,  Colonel, 
we  shall  see  her  at  supper,  presently — she  will  be 
beside  you,  I  think." 

"Your  Highness  is  very  thoughtful,"  he  said. 

"Don't  give  me  the  credit — it  was  Lady  Vierle's 
idea,"  I  answered — and  changed  the  subject. 
"What  is  Lotzen  up  to  now,"  I  asked. 

"Some   deviltry — either   women    or   you." 

"I  think  it's  both,"  said  I.  "The  Marquise 
consulted  him  as  to  sending  Mrs.  Spencer  an  in 
vitation,  and  you  remember  how  careful  he  was  to 
call  in  person  to  regret  he  could  not  come  to-night. 
He  saw,  at  once,  his  opportunity  for  a  talk  with  Mrs. 
Spencer.  Depend  on  it,  that  is  the  explanation  of  the 
White  Twins,  and  of  Lotzen 's  evading  identification. 
I  dare  say  he  already  has  an  alibi  perfected. 

"He  has  had  no  chance  to  see  her,  yet"  said 
Moore.  "I'll  have  her  ordered  to  her  hotel." 

"  No,  she  must  remain,"  said  I ;  "  I'm  committed 


282    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

to  the  Marquise.  Besides,  I'm  minded  to  play  their 
own  game  for  them,  a  bit.  Do  you  think  Lotzen 
knows  I'm  at  the  Masque  ?  " 

Moore  thought  a  moment.  "Lady  Vierle  told 
him  you  were  not  coming,  when  she  asked  as  to  Mrs. 
Spencer,"  he  said.  "And  he  may  have  let  it  go  at 
that;  but  it  wouldn't  be  his  usual  method.  My  last 
order,  before  we  left  the  Epsau,  was  that  you  were 
indisposed  and  had  retired  and,  on  no  account, 
were  you  to  be  disturbed  without  Bernheim's 
express  permission.  But,  servants  are  purchasable 
and  spies  are  plenty,  and  Lotzen  knows  how  to 
reach  the  first  and  use  the  second.  On  the  whole,  it 
is  likely  he  has  been  advised  that  you  are  here, 
though  he  may  not  know  your  costume.  The  long 
military  cloaks  completely  hid  our  dress;  and 
you  will  recall  that,  at  my  suggestion,  we  con 
cealed  our  hats  under  them  until  we  were  in  the 
carriage." 

"I  can't  get  used  to  this  espionage,"  I  said. 
"Suppose  we  take  a  look  around  for  the  Gypsy 
Lady;  doubtless,  we  shall  find  her  with  a  White 
Masque." 

We  were  on  a  walk  bordered  by  a  hedge  of  box 
wood,  shoulder  high.  On  the  other  side,  was  another 
path  with  several  Masques  on  it.  Suddenly,  one  of 
them,  as  he  passed,  reached  over  the  hedge  and 
struck  me  in  the  back  with  a  dagger. 

The  blow  sent  me  plunging  forward,  but  did  me 
no  hurt.  I  owed  my  life  to  Bernheim.  His  steel  vest 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  283 

had  stayed  the  blade  that,  otherwise,  would  have 
found  my  heart. 

With  a  cry,  Moore  sprang  to  me  and  caught  me  in 
his  arms. 

"I'm  not  hurt,"  I  said,  recovering  my  balance. 

"Thank  God!"  he  ejaculated— then  took  the 
hedge  at  a  vault. 

I  caught  him  by  the  arm  as  he  landed  on  the 
other  side. 

"Stay,"  I  commanded.     "Let  the  fellow  go." 

Moore  looked  at  me  a  moment.  "  Let  him  go  ?  " 
he  exclaimed  incredulously. 

I  nodded.  "And  come  along — let  us  get  away 
from  here." 

Without  a  word,  he  vaulted  back  and  we 
moved  off. 

The  whole  thing  had  occurred  so  unexpectedly  and 
so  swiftly  that  the  few  Masques,  who  had  been  in  the 
vicinity,  evidently  had  not  noticed  the  murderous 
nature  of  the  assault;  and  the  peculiar  arrangement 
of  the  hedges  and  trees  had  enabled  my  assailant  to 
disappear  almost  instantly.  Indeed,  but  for  Moore's 
vaulting  the  boxwood  after  him,  it  is  likely  no  one 
would  have  suspected  anything  unusual. 

Several  men  came  up  and  inquired  if  they  could  be 
of  any  assistance,  but  I  assured  them  it  was  a  matter 
of  no  consequence — that  I  had,  evidently,  been 
mistaken  for  another — or  it  was  only  a  bit  of  pleas 
antry  from  some  friend  who  had  recognized  me. 

"But  that  you  are  uninjured,"  remarked  one,  "I 


284    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

should  almost  say  it  was  a  case  of  attempted  assassi 
nation." 

I  laughed.  "An  assassination  would  fit  in  well 
with  the  costumes  and  the  garden — everything  is 
mediaeval  to-night." 

"Except  the  electric  lights,"  Moore  threw  in, 
dryly;  and  we  bowed  ourselves  away. 

"I  suppose  we  may  now  assume  that  somebody 
knows  my  disguise,"  I  observed.  "  Did  you  see  my 
friend  with  the  dagger?" 

"Yes — as  much  of  him  as  there  was  to  see — he 
wore  a  long  black  cloak  and  was  rather  above 
medium  size.  If  Your  Highness  had  not  stopped 
me  I  might  have  caught  him." 

"That's  just  why  I  stopped  you,"  said  I.  "I 
didn't  want  to  embarrass  the  De  Vierles.  Think 
what  it  would  mean  to  them  to  have  it  known  that 
one  of  their  guests  had  attempted  to  stab  to  death 
an  Archduke." 

"Hum — I  don't  see  why  that  is  more  important 
than  protecting  your  life." 

"My  dear  Colonel,"  said  I,  "if  it  were  a  question 
between  my  life  and  Lady  Vierle's  temporary 
embarrassment,  I  would  look  after  my  life.  But  my 
life  is  still  safe,  and  in  no  more  danger  with  that 
rogue  at  large  than  with  him  caught." 

"It  would  be  one  less  scoundrel  for  Lotzen  to 
work  with,"  Moore  objected. 

"  I  fancy  he  has  got  so  many  scoundrels  on  his 
pay  roll  that  one,  more  or  less,  won't  matter,"  I 


THE  BAL  MASQUE  285 

answered.  "But,  I've  no  objection  to  a  quiet 
inquiry  as  to  this  assault — it  may  come  very  handy, 
some  time — so,  do  you  look  up  the  Secret  Service 
Officer,  in  charge  here  to-night,  and  give  him  such 
facts  as  you  deem  proper,  and  let  a  report  be  made 
to  me  in  the  morning." 

"  First,  let  me  escort  you  to  the  house,"  he  insisted. 

I  put  my  hand  on  his  arm.  "Lotzen  may  have 
his  hired  bravoes,"  I  said,  "but  I'm  blessed  with  two 
good  friends  in  you  and  Bernheim." 

The  warm-hearted  Irishman  took  my  hand  and 
pressed  it. 

"We  both  are  Your  Highness 's  servants  until 
death,"  he  said. 

"I'm  in  no  further  danger  to-night;  I  fancy,"  said 
I.  "And  here  come  Lady  Helen  and  the  American 
Ambassador.  I'll  remain  with  them.  When  you 
have  done  your  errand  rejoin  me." 


XXII 
BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE 

THERE  were  three  women  and  a  man  in  the 
approaching  party,  and  it  chanced  I  knew  them  all. 
Courtney  had  a  red  rose  fastened  conspicuously  on 
his  breast,  and  Lady  Helen  wore  a  great  bunch  of 
them  in  her  hair — another  was  gowned  like  her  and, 
so,  must  be  the  Marquise  de  Vierle  herself — the 
fourth  was  Mademoiselle  d'Essolde. 

"If  you  wish,"  said  I,  barring  the  path  and 
sweeping  the  ground  with  my  feather.  "I'll  hunt 
another  rose.  I've  been  searching  for  you  so  long 
that  the  one  I  began  with  has  gone  to  pieces." 

"Of  course,  Your  Highness  would  never  think  of 
looking  in  the  Ball  Room,"  said  Lady  Helen. 

Mademoiselle  d'Essolde  started  and,  then,  drew 
a  bit  back. 

"Never,  indeed,  until  I  had  searched  the  Garden," 
I  retorted.  Then  I  bowed  to  Mademoiselle  d'Essolde 
as  the  Marquise  presented  her.  I  could  see  she  was 
very  much  embarrassed,  so  I  tried  to  reassure  her  by 
being  extremely  cordial. 

The  Marquise  wanted  to  show  Courtney  the 
bridge  and  the  lake;  and,  when  we  passed  the  place 
286 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          287 

where  Moore  and  I  had  met  the  Queens — as  I  had 
styled  them — Mademoiselle  d'Essolde  found  her 
opportunity  and  whispered: 

"Will  Your  Royal  Highness  ever  forgive  me?" 

"On  one  condition,"  I  said. 

"It's  granted — name  it." 

"That  you  be  nice  to  him  who  sits  beside  you  at 
supper,  to-night." 

She  looked  at  me  a  moment — masks  are  very 
annoying  when  one  wants  to  see  the  face. 

"That  will  be  an  easy  penance,"  she  said — and  I 
understood  she  had  been  told  who  that  man  was  to  be. 

I  bent  toward  her.  "Let  him  know  it,  then,"  I 
said  earnestly. 

"Your  Highness  likes  him?"  she  asked. 

"I  do  more  than  like  him,"  I  said. 

She  threw  a  quick  glance  up  at  me. 

"Maybe  I  do,  too,"  she  laughed. 

"  Good,"  said  I;  then  began  to  speak  of  something 
else.  There  is  just  as  proper  a  point  to  quit  a  subject 
as  to  start  it. 

The  grass  on  the  bank  of  the  lake  was  quite 
dry  and  Lady  Helen  suggested  that  we  sit  down. 

"This  reminds  me  of  a  garden  in  Florence,"  she 
said.  "Someone  might  tell  us  a  story  from  Boc 
caccio." 

The  Marquise  held  up  her  hands  in  affected 
horror. 

"Helen!  Helen!  You're  positively  shocking," 
she  said 


288    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Lady  Helen  evidently  believes  in  living  up  to  our 
costumes,"  I  ventured. 

"Why  not?"  she  laughed,  "since  the  masks  hide 
our  faces?" 

"Very  good,  my  dear,"  said  Lady  Vierle,  "you  tell 
the  first  story;  we  will  take  our  cue  from  you." 

Lady  Helen  removed  her  mask.  "Then,  that  is 
your  first  cue,"  she  said. 

"I  breathe  easier,"  Mademoiselle  d'Essolde  re 
marked. 

"We  all  do,"  said  I — then,  suddenly,  replaced 
mine  and  arose. 

"  Indulge  me  for  a  moment,"  I  said,  and  sauntered 
over  to  the  path  a  little  distance  away;  nor  answered 
the  chaffing  that  was  flung  after  me.  I  had  seen  a 
woman  in  gypsy  dress  and  a  cavalier  in  white  coming 
slowly  down  the  walk.  I  did  not  doubt  it  was  Mrs. 
Spencer  and  Lotzen,  and  I  intended  to  let  them 
know  they  were  recognized. 

As  we  neared  each  other,  I  halted  and  stared  at 
them  with  the  most  obvious  deliberation.  The 
gypsy  made  some  remark  to  her  companion,  to 
which  he  nodded.  I  had  little  notion  they  would 
address  me;  and,  certainly,  none  that  they  would 
stop.  But,  there  (though  whether  it  was  pure 
bravado  or  because  my  attitude  was  particularly 
irritating,  I  know  not),  Lotzen  gave  me  another 
surprise. 

He  paused  in  front  of  me  and  looked  me  over  from 
head  to  foot. 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          289 

"Monsieur  seems  interested,"  he  said,  making  no 
effort  to  disguise  his  tones. 

I  made  no  answer. 

"And  I  hope  monsieur  will  pardon  me  if  I  tell 
him  his  manners  are  atrocious,"  he  went  on. 

Again,  no  answer. 

"Though,  of  course,  no  one  could  ever  expect 
monsieur  to  understand  why,"  he  continued. 

Of  a  sudden,  it  dawned  on  my  slow  brain  that 
Lotzen  did  not  know  whether  it  was  Moore  or  I  that 
confronted  him,  and  he  wanted  to  hear  my  voice. 
I  saw  no  utility  in  obliging  him;  so,  I  stood  impas 
sive,  staring  calmly  at  them. 

Lotzen  turned  to  his  companion. 

"Speak  to  him,  mademoiselle,"  he  said;  "per 
chance  the  dulcet  tones  of  Beauty  may  move  the 
Beast  to  speech." 

I  smiled  at  him  addressing  her  as  "  mademoiselle. " 

She  shook  her  head.  "  Methinks  it's  Balaam  not 
Beauty  you  need." 

He  laughed.  "Even  that  does  not  stir  him — the 
fellow  must  be  deaf." 

"Try  signs  on  him,"  she  suggested. 

"Good!  I'll  sign  to  him  we  want  to  see  his 
face." 

"How,  pray?" 

"By  pulling  off  his  mask,"  he  answered — and 
put  out  his  hand,  as  though  to  do  it.  With  his 
fingers  almost  on  it,  he  paused. 

I  stood  quite  still.  I  felt  perfectly  sure  he  would 
19 


290    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

not  touch  me;  but,  if  he  did,  I  intended  to  knock  him 
down.  And  I  was  not  mistaken.  After  a  moment,  he 
dropped  his  arm. 

The  woman  laughed.  "Your  nerve  failed — his 
didn't,"  she  said  dryly. 

"Not  at  all,  mademoiselle.  I  thought  of  a  better 
way. — Observe." 

He  slowly  drew  the  long  narrow-bladed  sword, 
that  went  with  his  costume,  and,  taking  the  point  in 
his  left  hand,  bowed  over  it  in  mock  courtesy. 

"Will  monsieur  have  the  extreme  kindness  to 
remove  his  mask,"  he  said. 

I  admit  I  was  a  bit  astonished.  Surely,  this  was 
rushing  things  with  a  vengeance — to  deliberately 
raise  a  situation  that  meant  either  a  fight  or  a  com 
plete  back-down  by  one  of  us.  And,  as  he  would 
scarcely  imagine  I  would  do  the  latter,  he  must  have 
intended  to  force  a  duel. 

There  might  have  been  another  reason,  assuming 
that  he  was  interested  only  in  my  identity: — this 
procedure  would  have  told  him ;  for  Moore  would  not 
have  dared  draw  sword  on  the  Heir  Presumptive. 
But  I  have  never  thought  such  was  his  idea;  for  he 
must  have  been  very  well  satisfied,  by  this  time,  that 
none  but  an  equal  in  rank  would  have  acted  so 
toward  him. 

And,  being  convinced  that  it  was  I  that  fronted  him, 
he  had  suddenly  seen  an  opportunity  to  accomplish 
in  open  fight  what  his  hired  assassin  had  bungled. 
It  is  notorious  that  American  officers  know  practically 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          291 

nothing  of  the  art  of  fence;  what  easier  than  to  drive 
me  into  drawing  on  him  and,  then,  after  a  bit  of 
play,  to  run  me  neatly  through  the  heart.  What 
mattered  it  if  he  were  the  aggressor?  It  would  be 
easy  to  aver  he  had  not  known  me — that  I  had  chosen 
to  insult  him,  and,  having  refused  to  unmask  and 
apologize,  had  suffered  the  consequences  of  my  own 
rashness  and  bad  manners. 

And,  even  suppose  no  one  believed  his  story  that 
he  did  not  know  me.  What  mattered  it  ?  One  does 
not  execute  the  Heir  Presumptive  of  Valeria  for 
murder.  True,  the  King  might  rage — and  a  term  of 
banishment  to  his  mountain  estates  might  follow;  yet, 
what  trifling  penalties  for  the  end  attained.  They 
would  be  only  for  the  moment,  as  it  were.  But  the 
American  would  be  dead — the  Crown  sure — the 
Princess  still  unmarried. 

Truly,  it  was  a  chance  which  would  never  come 
again;  and  not  to  seize  it  was  to  mock  Fortune  to  her 
very  face. 

It  takes  far  longer  to  write  this  than  to  think  it. 
It  all  went  through  my  mind  in  the  brief  space 
Lotzen  gave  me  for  reply. 

"I  am  waiting,  monsieur,"  he  said. 

The  Gypsy  laughed  softly. 

"You  tell  him  so  much  he  already  knows,"  said 
she. 

Lotzen  looked  at  her — in  surprise,  I  doubt 
not. 

"Mademoiselle    is    impatient,"    he    remarked. 


292     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

She  shrugged  her  pretty  shoulders. 

Then  he  bowed  again  to  me. 

"You  see,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "you  tire  the 
Lady;  I  must  ask  you  to  make  haste." 

If  anyone  think  it  easy  to  stand,  stolidly,  in  one 
position  for  a  considerable  period,  and  have  im 
pertinent  things  said  to  him  the  while,  let  him  try  it 
He  will  be  very  apt  to  change  his  notion.  But,  I 
stuck  to  it;  and  my  soldier  training  helped  me  —  and 
the  mask  relieved  my  face. 

"You  are  stubborn,  monsieur,  as  well  as  bad 
mannered.  I  shall  have  to  spur  you,  I  see,"  he  went 
on.  "I  ask  you,  once  again,  monsieur,  to  remove 
your  mask.  If  you  do  not,  I  shall  give  you  a  bit  of 
steel  in  the  left  leg." 

"And,  if  that   be  ineffective?"  the    lady  asked. 

"Then,  I  shall  touch  him  in  the  other  leg  —  and, 
if  he  still  refuses,  then,  in  the  right  arm  —  and,  then, 
if  necessary,  in  the  left  arm;  each  time  a  trifle 
deeper." 

"And,  then  -  ?"  she  inflected,  very  sweetly. 

"  Then  ?  "  he  repeated.  "  I  think  there  will  be  no 
need  for  a  '  then,'  mademoiselle,"  he  laughed  sneer- 


She  nodded  toward  me. 

"Isn't  it  about  time  to  begin?"  she  asked. 

"Your  wish,  my  dear,  is  my  law,"  he  said.  "You 
hear,  monsieur;  your  time  is  up  —  prepare." 

He  stepped  forward  and  thrust,  very  slowly,  at  my 
thigh.  Even  then,  I  could  not  think  that  he  would 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          293 

actually  dare  to  touch  me  with  his  sword;  and  I 
made  no  motion.  I  proposed  to  call  his  bluff — if  it 
were  one. 

Closer  and  closer,  inch  by  inch,  drew  the  point. 
It  reached  the  velvet — hesitated — passed  through — 
and  just  pierced  my  flesh — then,  was  withdrawn. 

And,  with  that  cut,  came  the  blood-lust,  like 
unto  the  rage  of  the  berserker  of  old.  Yet,  somehow, 
I  had  the  sense  to  stand  quiet  and  let  the  red  passion 
burn  itself  out.  I  would  need  all  my  coolness  to  meet 
Lotzen's  skill. 

"Now,  will  monsieur  remove  his  mask?"  he 
asked. 

"You  scarcely  touched  him,"  scoffed  the  Gypsy. 

Lotzen  held  up  the  sword. 

"See  the  red  upon  the  point?"  he  asked. 

"  Blood !  You  actually  cut  him ! "  she  exclaimed — 
then  pointed  her  finger  at  me,  derisively.  "  And  you 
wear  a  sword ! "  she  sneered. 

It  was  pretty  hard  to  take.  But  I  had  a  notion, 
foolish,  possibly,  to  play  the  game  a  little  longer. 

"Come  along,  my  friend,"  she  went  on.  "This  is 
poor  sport.  I  hate  a  coward." 

For  an  instant,  I  feared  he  would  heed  her  and 
go — and  that  would  have  obliged  me  to  become  the 
aggressor;  which  I  much  preferred  not  to  be. 

"A  coward!"  he  laughed — and  looked  at  me. 
"  You  hear  that,  monsieur:  a  coward."  Then  he  put 
his  hand  on  her  arm.  "  You  are  quite  right,  my  dear, 
it  is  poor  sport,"  he  said.  "Yet,  stay  a  moment 


294    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

longer.  I  shall  forego  the  other  cuts  and  tear  off  his 
mask,  instead." 

"  And  permit  him  to  wear  a  sword  ?  "  she  mocked. 
"Surely,  not!  Why  don't  you  break  it?" 

"A  charming  suggestion — thank  you. — You  hear 
my  Lady's  wish,  Monsieur  le  Coquin,"  he  said  to 
me,  and  presenting  his  blade  at  my  breast.  "Will 
you  yield  your  sword  or  shall  I  be  obliged  to  take  it 
from  you  ?  " 

At  last,  Lotzen  had  driven  me  to  action,  in  pointing 
his  sword  at  my  breast.  If  he  touched  it  my  steel  vest 
would  be  disclosed,  at  once;  and  that  was  not  to  my 
mind.  It  would  explain  the  failure  of  his  bravo's 
dagger.  More  than  that  I  did  not  care  for.  Doubt 
less,  he  was  wearing  one  himself  at  that  very  moment. 
One  usually  ascribes  to  his  enemy  methods  similar 
to  one's  own — and,  as  Lotzen  dealt  in  assassination, 
he  would  expect  me  to  do  the  same. 

I  waited  a  moment.  Then,  stepping  quickly  out  of 
reach,  I  drew  my  own  sword. 

"Here  it  is,  my  Lord,"  I  said.  "Which  end  will 
you  take?" 

"  The  only  end  that  you  can  give  me,  monsieur — 
the  hilt,"  was  the  answer. 

"Come  and  get  it,  then,"  I  drawled. 

He  turned  to  the  Gypsy. 

"Will   mademoiselle   pardon   me,"   he   said. 

"Will  you  be  long?"  she  asked. 

"Only  a  moment.     I'll  make  it  very  short." 

"I'll  wait,"  she  said  carelessly. 


OUR  SWORDS   FELL  TO  TALKING  IN  THE  GARDEN   OF  THE   MASKED   KALL 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          295 

He  bowed  to  her — and  then  faced  me. 

"Has  Monsieur  le  Coquin  any  particular  spot  in 
which  he  prefers  to  receive  my  point?"  he  asked. 

"None,  my  Lord,"  I  answered;  "I  shall  leave  that 
to  your  own  good  taste." 

"  Merci,  monsieur,  merci  !  "  he  said,  and  saluted. 
"Yet,  I  may  not  be  outdone  in  generosity.  There 
fore,  in  exchange  for  your  hilt,  monsieur,  you  shall 
have  the  whole  length  of  my  blade  in  your  heart." 

"That,  my  Lord,  is  on  the  Knees  of  the  Gods," 
I  said. 

Then  our  swords  fell  to  talking  and  our  tongues 
were  still. 

The  turf  was  free  of  brush  or  trees;  and,  as  I  have 
already  said,  the  illumination  was  so  arranged  that, 
practically,  there  were  no  shadows.  The  Garden 
seemed  almost  as  bright  as  day;  indeed,  save  that  the 
light  was  white,  we  might,  just  as  well,  have  been 
duelling  at  noon-tide  as  at  midnight. 

It  had  not  been  hard  to  gather,  from  Lotzen's 
la^t  remarks  to  his  companion,  what  sort  of  a  fight  he 
proposed  making;  and,  after  the  usual  preliminary 
testing  of  strength,  I  contented  myself  with  the 
simplest  sort  of  defence  and  awaited  the  main  attack. 

It  seems  hardly  possible  that  two  men  could 
engage  in  a  combat  with  rapiers,  at  such  an  occasion, 
and  not  draw  a  crowd.  There  is  something  pecul 
iarly  penetrating  about  the  ring  of  steel  on  steel  at 
night.  Yet,  such  was  the  extent  of  the  grounds  and, 
so  retired  was  our  locality,  that  no  strangers  were 


896    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

attracted.  Almost  at  the  first  stroke,  however,  I 
heard  exclamations  from  the  direction  of  my  com 
panions.  In  a  moment,  Courtney  came  running 
up,  his  drawn  sword  in  hand — and  the  others  after 
him. 

I  had  plenty  of  use  for  my  eyes  with  the  im 
mediate  business  in  hand;  but,  as  I  chanced  to  be 
facing  them,  I  had  a  vision  of  Courtney — his  mask 
off — leaning  forward  intently  watching  the  fight. 
Then,  he  calmly  returned  sword  and  drew  back. 

I  heard  the  Marquise  exclaim :  "  M on  Dieu ! 
Someone  is  trying  to  kill  His  Highness — we  must 
save  him!'* 

But  Courtney  clapped  his  hand  over  her  mouth 
and  silenced  her.  Even  in  the  press  of  the  duel,  I 
think,  I  smiled. 

"Your  pardon,  my  dear  Marquise,"  he  said, 
loudly — so  I  would  hear  it,  I  knew — "  His  Highness 
needs  no  saving." 

Then  I  heard  no  more — for  the  Duke  assumed  the 
offensive  fiercely  and  his  sword  began  to  move  like 
lightning.  And  well,  indeed,  was  it,  for  me,  that  I  had 
learned  something  of  this  gentle  game  of  fence, 
else  had  that  night  been  my  last  on  Earth. 

Then,  of  a  sudden,  from  out  a  sharp  rally,  came  the 
first  strokes  of  Moore's  coup.  I  had  been  expecting 
it.  I  steadied  myself  to  meet  it,  giving  back  just  a 
trifle  to  lead  Lotzen  to  think  it  was  new  to  me.  He 
pressed  me  hotly  and,  at  length,  the  final  position 
came — the  way  was  open. 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          297 

"  Take  it ! "  he  said,  savagely — and  sent  the  thrust 
that  should  have  made  good  his  promise  to  bury  the 
whole  blade  in  my  heart. 

But  his  point  never  reached  me — for,  as  his 
sword  glided  along  mine,  seemingly  unopposed,  I 
caught  it  exactly  as  Moore  had  shown  me  and 
wrenched  with  all  the  strength  of  my  wrist  and  arm. 

There  was  a  sharp  grinding  of  steel;  and  then, 
like  a  thing  alive,  the  Duke's  sword  left  his  hand, 
sped  through  the  air  and  settled,  thirty  feet  away, 
point  downward  in  the  turf,  where  it  stuck,  quivering 
and  swaying  like  a  reed  in  the  wind. 

With  a  cry  of  sharp  surprise,  Lotzen  sprang  back 
and  watched  his  sword  as  it  circled  and  fell.  I 
moved  a  step  toward  him.  Then,  he  turned  to  me. 

"It  seems,  Monsieur  le  Coquin,"  he  said  softly, 
"that  I  was  in  error;  and  that  it  is  the  point  of  your 
sword  and  not  the  hilt  I  am  to  take.  So  be  it." 

He  draw  himself  up  to  attention,  and  raised  his 
hand  in  salute. 

"I  am  waiting,"  he  said  calmly. 

Ferdinand  of  Lotzen  was,  doubtless,  a  bad  lot. 
Once  that  night  he  had  given  me  to  assassination; 
and,  just  now,  he  himself  had  deliberately  tried  to 
kill  me.  He  deserved  no  consideration;  and,  by 
every  law  of  justification,  could  I,  then  and  there, 
have  driven  my  sword  into  his  throat.  Maybe  I 
wanted  to  do  it,  too.  We  all  are  something  of  the 
savage  at  times.  And  I  think  he  fully  expected  to 
die.  He  had  told  me  frankly  he  purposed  killing 


298     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

me,  and  he  would  not  look  for  mercy,  himself. 
The  dice  had  fallen  against  him.  He  had  lost. 
And,  like  a  true  gambler,  he  was  ready  to  pay  stakes. 
To  give  the  fellow  his  due,  he  was  brave;  with  the 
sort  of  bravery  that  meets  death — when  it  must — 
with  a  smiling  face  and  a  steady  eye. 

And,  so,  for  a  space,  we  stood.  He,  erect  and 
ready.  I,  with  hand  on  hip  and  point  advanced. 

I  heard  the  gasps  of  women — a  sob  or  two — and 
then,  the  rustle  of  skirts,  followed  instantly  by 
Courtney's  soft  command. 

"Stay,  madame — the  matter  is  for  His  Highness 
only  to  decide." 

Lotzen  laughed  lightly. 

"Strike,  man,"  he  said,  "or  the  petticoats  will 
steal  me  from  you." 

I  stepped  back  and  shot  my  sword  into  its  sheath. 

"Go,"  I  ordered.  "I  do  not  want  your  life. 
Only,  depart  this  house  straightway,  and  take  your 
bravoes  with  you.  They  will  have  no  other  oppor 
tunity  to-night.  And,  mark  you,  sir,  no  further 
meeting  with  the  Gypsy — now,  nor  hereafter." 

He  bowed  low.  "  Monsieur  is  pleased  to  be 
generous,"  he  sneered. 

But  I  gave  him  my  back  and,  removing  my  mask, 
went  over  to  my  friends. 

The  Marquise  met  me  with  a  perfect  gale  of 
apologies.  But  I  laughed  them  aside,  telling  her  it 
was  I  who  stood  in  need  of  pardon  for  becoming 
involved  in  such  a  breach  of  hospitality. 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          299 

"Your  Highness  might  have  been  killed,"  she 
insisted,  woman-like. 

"But  I  wasn't,"  said  I,  "so,  pray,  think  no  more 
about  it." 

Just  then,  Colonel  Moore  came  up  and,  seeing 
us  without  our  masks,  he  dropped  his,  also.  I 
watched  Mademoiselle  d'Essolde's  greeting  to  him. 
It  was  all  even  he  could  have  wished. 

"  I  think  it  is  about  the  supper  hour,"  said  Lady 
Vierle.  "Let  us  go  in." 

I  offered  her  my  arm  and,  masking  again,  we  led 
the  way. 

"Will  Your  Highness  tell  me  something?"  she 
asked  immediately.  "Did  you  know  your  antag 
onist  ?  " 

"I  didn't  see  his  face."     I  evaded. 

She  looked  at  me  quickly.  "Would  it  be  better 
for  me  not  to  know?" 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "I  think  it  would." 

There  was,  really,  no  reason  why  I  should  shield 
Lotzen;  yet,  neither  was  there  any  reason  to  rattle  a 
family  skeleton  in  public,  and  raise  a  scandal,  which 
would  run  the  Kingdom  over  and  be  the  gossip  of 
every  Court  in  Europe. 

Then  I  lifted  my  mask  so  she  could  see  my  face. 

"And,  my  dear  Lady  Vierle,"  I  said  earnestly, 
"  if  you  would  do  me  a  great  favor,  you  will  promise 
to  forget  all  about  this  unfortunate  incident." 

She,  too,  raised  her  mask  and  looked  me  frankly 
in  the  eyes. 


300    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  promise,"  she  said. 

And  I  am  sure  she  will  keep  her  word. 

I  knew  I  could  leave  it  to  Courtney  and  Moore  to 
insure  the  silence  of  Lady  Helen  and  Mademoiselle 
d'Essolde. 

We  lingered  at  the  table  until  far  into  the  morning. 
And,  if  Moore  had  any  fault  to  find  with  his  neigh 
bor  in  blue/ he  was,  indeed,  a  graceless  grumbler. 

Lady  Helen  was  on  one  side  of  me,  and  we  recalled 
the  ride  we  had  together  the  morning  shortly  after  the 
Birthday  Ball,  when  we  met  the  Princess  at  the  Old 
Forge. 

"We  never  took  that  other  ride  we  planned,"  I 
said — "the  one  to  the  Inn  of  the  Twisted  Pines." 

"You  have  never  asked  me,"  she  said  dryly. 

"Suppose  we  make  it  to-morrow  at  three,"  I 
suggested. 

"I  ride  with  Mr.  Courtney,  then." 

"We  will  make  a  party  of  it,"  said  I.  "The 
Princess  returns  this  morning  and  we  will  add 
Mademoiselle  d'Essolde  and  Colonel  Moore." 

"But,   the   chaperon!" 

"Hang  the  chaperon — the  grooms  can  suffice  for 
that.  Besides,  we  shall  be  back  before  dark." 

"It  will  be  jolly,"  she  said.  Then  she  gave  me  a 
shrewd  smile.  "But,  how  different  from  the  ride  as 
we  planned  it." 

I  looked  at  Courtney. 

"He  wasn't  in  it;  was  he?"  I  smiled. 

She  leaned  a  bit  nearer.     "Nor  would  you  have 


BLACK  KNAVE  AND  WHITE          301 

assumed,  then,  to  make  engagements  for  the  Princess 
Royal  of  Valeria  without  consulting  her,"  she  replied. 

I  laughed.     And  I  did  not  deny  her  inference. 

When  Moore  saluted  and  turned  to  leave  me  that 
night,  I  stopped  him. 

"Colonel,"  said  I,  "I  trust  you  enjoyed  the 
supper." 

"It  was  the  most  delightful  I  have  ever — 
heard,"  he  sai<t 


XXIII 

AT  THE  INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES 

I  LUNCHED  with  the  King  and  the  Princess 
Dehra  as  arranged.  Frederick  left  before  the 
coffee,  and  Dehra  ordered  it  served  in  her  library. 
When  the  footman  had  brought  it  she  dismissed 
him. 

"Now,"  said  she,  "come  and  tell  me  all  about 
yourself." 

I  went  over  and  sat  on  the  arm  of  her  chair.  She 
lit  a  cigarette  and  put  it  between  my  lips — then,  h't 
one  for  herself. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  first  time  you  did  that  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  she,  "it  was  the  night  you  flirted  so 
outrageously  with  me  in  front  of  Lotzen." 

"I  don't  care  what  you  call  it,  since  we  are  not 
flirting  now,"  said  I. 

She  took  my  hand  between  hers  and  smiled  up  at 
me. 

"And,  maybe,  it  was  not  all  flirting,  then,"  she 
said. 

There  are  certain  occasions  which  justify  certain 
actions.     I  thought  this  was  one. 
302 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES        303 

Then  I  said :  "  Tell  me  about  Lotzen's  visit  with 
you  in  the  North." 

"He  was  there  a  week." 

"  More's  the  pity,"  said  L 

"For  him— yes." 

"For  him?"  I  echoed. 

She  nodded.  "I  feel  very  sorry  for  Ferdinand." 
Then  she  blushed.  "I  think  he  does  love  me, 
Armand." 

"I  can't  blame  him  for  that,"  said  I.  "He's  a 
queer  sort  if  he  doesn't." 

"Foolish!"  she  laughed,  giving  me  a  little  tap 
with  her  fan.  "And  you  see,  dear,  he  might  have 
had  a  chance  if  you  had  not  come." 

I  bent  down  until  her  hair  brushed  my  face. 

"And  he  has  none  now,  sweetheart?"  I  said 
softly. 

"You  know  that  he  has  not." 

"And  does  he  know  it?" 

"Yes — he  knows  it — now.  I  told  him  the  day 
he  left." 

I  was  beginning  to  understand  Lotzen's  sudden 
change  of  demeanor  toward  me. 

"  What  did  you  tell  him,  little  woman  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  looked  up  with  a  bright  smile. 

"See  how  I've  spoiled  you,"  she  said. 

"Then,  spoil  me  just  a  little  more,"  I  urged. 

"Well — I  told  him  it  was  you,"  she  whispered. 

The  understanding  was  growing  rapidly. 

"And  what  did  he  say  to  that?" 


304     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"I  know,  Armand,  you  don't  like  him;  and,  there, 
you  may  do  him  an  injustice.  He  said  only  the 
kindest  things  about  you — that  you  were  able,  cour 
teous,  brave — a  true  Dalberg;  and  that,  if  it  could 
not  be  he,  he  was  glad  it  was  you." 

I  smiled.    "  That  was  clever  of  him,"  I  commented. 

"And  he,  too,  does  not  believe  the  Spencer 
woman's  story." 

"His  cleverness  grows,"  I  laughed.  "It  only 
remains  for  him  to  renounce  his  right  to  the  Crown." 

"  He  said  it  was  for  the  Kkig  to  choose  which  was 
the  worthier,  and  that,  if  it  fell  to  you,  he  would 
serve  you  faithfully  and  well." 

I  put  my  hand  on  her  head  and  softly  stroked  her 
hair. 

"  And  you  believed  him,  dear  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  looked  up  quickly. 

"  Yes — I  believed  him.  I  wanted  to  believe  him — 
Did  he  deceive  me?" 

"Listen,"  said  I.  "He  reached  Dornlitz  two  days 
ago.  Yesterday  afternoon  he  insulted  me  repeatedly 
in  my  office  at  Headquarters.  Last  night  I  attended 
the  Vierle  Masque.  While  in  the  Garden  I  was 
struck  in  the  back  with  a  dagger." 

"  Stabbed ! "  she  exclaimed,  and  clutched  my  arm. 

"No,  dear — not  even  scratched,  thanks  to  Bern- 
heim's  steel  vest  I  was  wearing.  Half  an  hour  later, 
our  cousin  of  Lotzen,  with  Mrs.  Spencer  on  his  arm, 
met  me,  alone,  in  a  retired  part  of  the  Garden, 
forced  a  duel,  and  did  his  level  best  to  run  me 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES        305 

through,  by  a  trick  of  fence  he  thought  he,  alone, 
knew." 

"  And,  again,  the  vest  saved  you  ? " 

"No — I  was  fortunate  enough  to  disarm  him." 

"Glorious,  dear,  glorious!"  she  exclaimed.  And 
tears  filled  her  eyes. 

And,  as  it  was  I  that  had  caused  them,  it  was  but 
fair  that  I  should  take  them  away. 

Then  she  made  me  go  over  the  whole  story  in 
detail. 

"Of  course  you  will  tell  the  King,"  said  she. 

"Maybe,"  said  I.     "I've  not  decided  yet." 

She  got  up.  "  There  is  just  time  for  me  to  get  into 
riding  dress,"  she  said.  "But,  first;  this  is  Thurs 
day — if  you  do  not  tell  His  Majesty  of  Lotzen's 
perfidy  by  Saturday,  I  shall  do  it,  myself." 

And  I  knew  she  would — so  I  made  no  protest. 

"Put  on  the  green  habit  and  the  plumed  hat, 
dear,"  I  said,  as  I  held  back  the  door. 

I  have  always  liked  green — the  dark  rich  green  of 
the  forest's  depth — and,  if  there  were  anything  more 
lovely  than  the  Princess  Dehra,  when  she  came  back 
to  me,  it  is  quite  beyond  my  imagination  to  conceive 
it.  He  is  a  poor  lover,  indeed,  who  does  not  think 
his  sweetheart  fair;  yet,  he  would  have  been  a  poor 
sort  of  man,  who  would  not  have  been  at  one  with  me, 
that  afternoon. 

And  I  told  her  so — but  she  called  me  "  Foolish!  " 
once  again,  and  ran  from  me  to  the  private  exit  of  her 
suite,  where  our  four  companions  were  awaiting  us. 
20 


306    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

But  I  had  my  reward ;  for  she  waved  the  groom  aside 
and  let  me  swing  her  into  saddle  and  fix  her  skirt. 

How  easy  it  is  for  a  clever  woman  to  manage  a  man 
— if  she  care  to  try. 

It  was  a  beautiful  afternoon — the  road  was  soft  and 
the  track  smooth.  Much  of  it  led  through  woodland 
and  along  a  brawling  stream.  The  horses  were  of  the 
sort  that  delight  the  soul — I  doubt  if  there  were  six 
better  saddlers  in  the  whole  Kingdom  of  Valeria. 
I  know  there  were  no  prettier  women,  and,  I  think. 
no  happier  men. 

We  passed  many  people — mainly  country-men — 
and  they  all  knew  the  Princess  and  loved  her — 
bless  her! — if  their  greetings  went  for  aught.  Me, 
they  eyed  with  frank  curiosity;  and,  more  than  once, 
I  caught  the  drift  of  their  comments. 

"A  pretty  pair,"  said  one,  as  Dehra  and  I  drew 
near,  our  horses  on  a  walk. 

"It's  a  pity  he  has  a  wife,"  the  other  answered. 
And  Dehra  frowned. 

"They  match  up  well,"  said  a  fellow,  as  we 
paused  a  moment  at  a  spring  beside  a  small  road 
house. 

I  glanced  at  Dehra;  and  got  a  smile  in  return. 

"  That  they  do.  He  does  not  look  like  a  foreigner," 
was  the  answer. 

"He  is  Dalberg  on  the  outside,  anyway,"  said  a 
third. 

"Then,  he  is  Dalberg  inside,  too — it  starts  there, 
with  them,"  said  the  first. 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES         307 

And  so  it  went,  until  we  reached  the  Inn  of  the 
Twisted  Pines. 

It  was  an  old  log  and  plaster  building;  of  many 
gables  and .  small  windows ;  standing  back  a  trifle 
from  the  road,  with  a  high-walled  yard  on  all  four 
sides.  I  had  taken  the  precaution,  that  morning,  to 
dispatch  an  orderly  to  apprise  the  landlord  of  our 
coming;  and  every  human  being  about  the  place  was 
drawn  up  within  the  enclosure  to  greet  us.  Old 
Boniface  met  us  at  the  gateway  and  held  my  stirrup 
as  I  dismounted. 

"My  poor  house  has  had  no  such  honor,"  he  said, 
"since  the  time  the  Great  Henry  stopped  for  break 
fast  on  his  return  from  the  Titian  War." 

"Well,  my  good  man,"  said  I,  "you  doubtless 
don't  recollect  the  Great  Henry's  visit,  but,  if  your 
supper  is  what  we  hope  for,  I  promise  you  we  will 
honor  it  as  highly  as  he  did  that  breakfast." 

"Your  Highness  shall  be  served  this  instant." 

"  Give  us  half  an  hour  and  a  place  to  get  rid  of  this 
dust,"  said  I. 

I  fancy  the  Inn  had  been  changed  but  little  since 
old  Henry's  day;  and  the  big  room,  where  our  table 
was  spread,  certainly  not  at  all.  The  oak  floor  was 
bare  and  worn  into  ruts  and  ridges — the  great  beam 
rafters  overhead  were  chocolate  color  from  smoke 
and  age — the  huge  fireplace  and  the  wall  above  it 
were  black  as  a  half -burnt  back  log.  But  the  food! 
My  mouth  waters  now  at  the  thought  of  it.  No  crazy 
French  concoctions  of  frothy  indigestibleness;  but 


308    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

good,  sweet  cooking — the  supper  one  gets  among  the 
old  families  of  Maryland  or  Virginia.  It  took  me 
back  more  than  a  score  of  years  to  my  young  days 
on  the  dear  old  Eastern  Shore. 

And,  in  the  midst  of  it,  came  the  jolly  Boniface, 
bearing,  as  carefully  as  a  mother  does  her  first-born, 
three  long  bottles,  cobwebbed  and  dirty.  Eighty 
years  had  they  been  lying  in  the  wine-bin  of  the  Inn, 
guarding  their  treasure  of  Imperial  Tokay.  Now, 
their  ward  was  ended — and  the  supper  was  complete ; 
though,  in  truth,  it  had  been  complete  before. 

And,  when  we  had  eaten  the  supper  and  had 
drunk  most  of  the  Tokay,  we  freshened  up  the 
glasses  with  what  remained.  Then,  arising,  I  gave 
the  toast  which  all  could  drink: 

"To  the  one  we  love  the  best!" 

But,  even  as  we  drained  it,  there  came  through  the 
open  window  the  clatter  of  horse's  hoofs  and,  as  the 
glasses  smashed  to  bits  among  the  chimney  stones, 
the  door  swung  open  and  my  senior  Aide  entered, 
hot  and  dusty. 

He  caught  my  eye,  halted  sharply,  and  his  hand 
went  up  in  salute. 

"Welcome,  Colonel  Bernheim,"  I  said. 

Again  he  saluted;  then  drew  out  an  envelope  and 
handed  it  to  me. 

"Important  papers  for  Your  Highness,"  he  said. 
"They  were  received  at  Headquarters  after  your 
departure  and,  as  they  required  action  to-night,  I 
thought  it  best  to  follow  you." 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES         309 

With  a  word  of  apology,  I  walked  over  to  the 
nearest  window  and  slowly  read  the  letters.  There 
were  two  and  they  were  very  brief.  Then  I  read 
them  again — and  yet  again. 

Those  at  the  table  had,  of  course,  resumed  their 
talk,  but  Bernheim  still  stood  at  attention.  I 
motioned  him  to  me. 

"These  are  copies,"  I  said. 

"  I  made  them,  sir,  from  the  originals — while  they 
were  en  route,"  he  added  with  a  dry  smile. 

"  And  the  originals  ?  " 

"Each  was  delivered  pr  mptly." 

"You  have  no  doubt  Ot  their  genuineness?"  I 
asked. 

"  Absolutely  none — though,  of  course,  I  know  only 
the  handwriting  of  the  ansr/ei." 

"Well  done,"  said  I;  "veil  done!"  Then  I  read 
the  two  papers  again. 

"  Do  you  think  he  means  it  ?  "  I  asked,  tapping  the 
smaller  paper. 

"  After  last  night,  undoubtedly.  And  you  must  be 
there,  sir — you  and  a  witness,"  said  Bernheim. 

I  thought  a  bit — then  I  took  out  my  watch.  It  was 
just  six  o'clock. 

"There  is  ample  time,"  said  I;  "and  it's  worth  the 
try.  Can  it  be  arranged,  do  you  think?" 

Bernheim 's  face  brightened.  "  It  can,  sir.  If  it's 
the  room  I  think  it  is,  there  will  be  no  difficulty;  and 
we  can  depend  on  the  manager — he  has  been  well 
trained  by  the  Secret  Police.  You  will  come?" 


310    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Yes,  I'll  come;  but  they  come,  too,"  and  I  nodded 
toward  the  table. 

"Better  bring  only  Courtney,  sir,"  he  urged. 

"No,"  said  I;  "several  witnesses  will  be  needed. 
And,  besides,  I  want  them  out  of  satisfaction  to 
myself." 

"It  may  wreck  the  whole  business,"  he  persisted. 

"I'll  risk  it,"  said  I. 

Bernheim  was  wise.  He  always  seemed  to  know 
when  to  quit. 

"Very  good,  sir,"  he  said.  "How  soon  do  we 
start?" 

I  put  my  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"You  are  a  perfect  treasure,  Bernheim,"  I  said. 
"  Come,  we  will  start  at  once.  Is  your  horse  good  for 
a  fast  ride  back  ?  " 

"Entirely,  sir." 

"Then  you  can  give  me  the  story  on  the  way," 
I  said.  "  Meanwhile,  get  some  refreshment.'* 

I  went  back  to  the  table — and  it  was  amusing  how 
suddenly  the  conversation  ceased  and  everyone 
looked  at  me.  I  smiled  reassuringly  at  Dehra,  for 
there  was  concern  in  her  eyes. 

"  Four  of  you,"  said  I — "  you,  Princess;  and  you, 
Lady  Helen;  and  you,  Courtney;  and  you,  Moore, 
were  present  at — and  you,  Mademoiselle  d'Essolde, 
have  heard  of — a  certain  supper  party  on  the  Hanging 
Garden,  some  weeks  back,  whereat  a  certain  woman 
proclaimed  herself  my  wife.  That  was  the  first  act 
in  a  play  which  has  been  progressing  ever  since.  The 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES        311 

plot  has  thickened  lately — as  witness  the  duel  at  the 
Masque,  last  night.  And  now,  unless  I  greatly  err, 
the  last  act  is  set  for  this  evening.  If  you  care  to  see 
it  I  shall  be  glad  for  your  company." — Then  I 
laughed.  "A  long  speech,"  said  I;  "but  it  sounded 
well." 

"And  promises  best  of  all,'*  said  Courtney 

Then  I  ordered  the  horses;  and,  while  we  waited, 
I  gave  the  letters  to  Courtney. 

"Read  them,"  I  said.  "The  originals  passed 
through  Bernheim's  hands  this  afternoon — '  while 
en  route,'  as  he  puts  it." 

He  read  them  carefully. 

"You  contemplate  giving  them  an  audience?" 
he  asked. 

"Exactly  that,"  said  I. 

"Is  it  feasible?" 

"Bernheim  says  it  is." 

He  looked  at  me  thoughtfully,  a  moment.  "  It  would 
be  a  great  stroke  to  have  the  King  there,"  he  said. 

"I'll  make  a  try  for  him,"  I  answered;  "but  the 
time  is  very  short." 

It  was  ten  miles  to  Dornlitz,  and  we  did  it  in  an 
hour.  On  the  way,  I  explained  the  whole  situation  to 
the  Princess  and  read  her  the  letters.  She  was 
amazed — and  her  indignation  was  intense.  Nor  did 
she  hesitate  to  express  it  freely  before  Bernheim. 
And  I  saw  his  stern  face  br  ak  into  a  glad  smile. 
It  told  him  much. 

At  the  Palace  we  drew  rein. 


312    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Be  at  the  Hotel  Metzen  at  eight  forty-five,"  said 
I.  **Come  by  the  Court  entrance — you  will  be 
expected." 

Then  they  rode  away,  and  I  hastened  to  the 
King. 

As  good  luck  would  have  it,  Frederick  was  in  his 
cabinet  and  received  me  instantly.  He  read  the 
letters  and  looked  at  me  inquiringly. 

"It  means  a  plain  talk  between  them,"  I  ex 
plained;  "and  I  propose  to  hear  it.  I  am  sure  it 
would  interest  Your  Majesty — much  happened 
yesterday."  And  I  told  him  of  the  Vierle  Masque. 

Frederick  frowned  a  bit — thought  longer — then 
smiled. 

"I  don't  much  fancy  eaves-dropping;  but,  some 
times,  the  end  justifies  the  means,"  he  said.  "I'll 
join  you." 

"  There  will  be  other  witnesses,  Sire,"  I  said — and 
named  them. 

"I  don't  like  it,"  he  said. 

"I  can  stop  them,"  I  suggested. 

He  considered.  "No,"  said  he,  "I  understand 
why  you  want  them.  I'll  come — they  will  be  dis 
creet.  And  the  Princess  would  wish  it  so.  I'll 
bring  her,  myself." 

Then  I  rode  to  the  Metzen.  Bernheim  had 
preceded  me  and,  with  the  manager  of  the  Hotel, 
awaited  me  at  a  side  door.  The  corridor  was  dimly 
lighted  but  I  drew  my  cape  well  over  my  face  and,  in 
a  moment,  we  were  in  a  small  reception  room. 


"  Monsieur  Gerst,"  said  I  to  the  manager,  "  I  need 
your  assistance." 

Gerst  bowed  very  low. 

"Your  Royal  Highness  has  but  to  command," 
he  said. 

I  was  quite  sure  of  that,  however.  An  Archduke 
of  Valeria  would  have  been  quite  enough,  but  the 
Governor  of  Dornlitz  was  beyond  refusal.  I  could 
have  closed  his  Hotel  by  a  word,  and  there  would 
have  been  no  appeal. 

"Thank  you,  monsieur,"  I  said.  "You  have,  as 
a  guest,  a  certain  Madame  Armand  Dalberg." 

"A  guest  by  Your  Highness 's  express  permission, 
you  will  remember,"  he  said. 

"Very  true,"  said  I.  "Now,  this  Madame  Dal 
berg  expects  a  visitor  to-night  at  nine  o'clock." 

He  gave  me  a  quick  glance. 

"  You  know  him  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,  Your  Highness.  I  only  know  madame  gave 
orders  to  admit  no  one  to-night  except  a  gentleman 
who  would  come  at  nine." 

I  nodded.  "  It's  the  same,"  said  I.  "  And  what  I 
want,  is  to  hear  all  that  occurs  between  Madame 
Dalberg  and  this  visitor." 

Gerst  smiled.  "That  will  be  easily  arranged, 
Your  Highness — the  place  is  already  provided." 

"The.  concealed  Gallery?"  asked  Bernheim, 
quickly  ? 

"Yes,  Colonel."  Then,  to  me,  he  explained: 
"  Madame 's  reception  room  was  once  a  part  of  a 


S14     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

small,  state  dining-room.  Back  of  the  end  wall 
runs  a  gallery  where  guests  sat  to  listen  to  the 
speeches.  It  is  there,  now — and  the  tapestries, 
with  which  the  walls  are  hung,  completely  hide  it." 

"  It  can  be  reached  from  the  floor  above  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Yes,  Your  Highness;  a  narrow  stairway  admits 
to  it." 

"  Can  we  enter  without  being  overheard  by  those 
in  the  room  below?" 

"  Very  readily,  sir;  the  gallery  was  so  designed  that 
its  noises  would  not  disturb  those  in  the  dining- 
room." 

"  We  are  in  good  luck,  Bernheim,"  I  said. 

"  We  shall  need  all  of  it,  sir,  with  eight  spectators." 

And  he  was  right.  It  was  foolish  to  risk  success  for 
only  a  sentimental  reason.  I  knew,  perfectly  well, 
the  proper  course  was  for  no  one  but  the  King  and 
myself  to  be  in  the  gallery;  yet,  there  entered  my 
Dalberg  stubbornness.  I  purposed  that  some  of 
those,  who  had  seen  me  accused  that  night  on  the 
Hanging  Garden,  should  see  me  exculpated  to-night. 

It  may  be,  that  some  will  question  the  propriety 
of  my  action,  and  the  good  taste  of  those  who  were 
my  guests.  As  to  the  latter,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  my  invitation  was  in  the  nature  of  a 
command,  which  it  would  have  been  vastly  dis 
courteous  to  decline.  And,  besides,  they  were  my 
friends.  As  for  myself,  I  have  no  excuses  to  offer — 
and,  methinks,  I  need  none.  The  situation  had  long 
passed  the  refinement  of  ethics.  It  was  war;  and 


INN  OF  THE  TWISTED  PINES         315 

war  not  of  my  declaring.  Neither  was  I  responsible 
for  the  style  of  the  campaign.  Madeline  Spencer 
deserved  no  consideration  from  me — and  no  more 
did  her  visitor. 


XXIV 

THE  END  OF  THE  PLAT 

I  HAD,  yet,  an  hour  to  spare,  so  Bernheim  and  I 
returned  to  the  Epsau.  I  donned  the  evening 
uniform  of  the  Red  Huzzars,  with  the  broad  Ribbon 
of  the  Lion  across  my  breast  and  the  Cincinnati 
around  my  neck.  I  was  minded  to  be  the  Dalberg 
Archduke  to-night. 

Then,  having  dispatched  Bernheim  to  the  Palace 
to  escort  the  King  and  the  Princess,  I  drove  to 
the  Metzen,  where  Gerst  piloted  me,  by  private 
corridors,  to  the  apartments  reserved  for  me,  and 
which  adjoined  the  Gallery. 

The  King  and  the  Princess  were  the  last  to  arrive. 
As  I  greeted  them,  Dehra  detained  me. 

'  Shall  we  be  able  to  see  as  well  as  hear  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Yes,"  said  I,  "if  you  wish." 

"I  do  wish,"  she  said.  "I'm  savage  to 
night" 

I  laughed.     "It's  very  becoming,   dear." 

Then  the  great  bell  of  the  Cathedral  began  to 
chime  the  hour;  and,  with  a  word  of  caution,  I  led 
the  way  to  the  Gallery. 

The  floor  was  covered  with  a  thick  carpet  and 
316 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  317 

eight  small  chairs  were  placed  close  to  the  railing. 
The  tapestry  was  very  old  and  thin  and,  by  putting 
one's  face  close  to  it,  the  room  below  was  rather 
dimly,  yet  quite  sufficiently,  visible.  Its  dimensions 
were  unusually  ample — possibly  forty  feet  by  sixty — 
and  its  furnishings  most  gorgeous.  The  chandelier 
and  side-lights  were  burning,  and  a  huge  vase  lamp, 
pink  shaded,  was  on  the  large  table  in  the  centre. 
At  the  moment,  the  room  was  untenanted. 

In  a  little  while  a  door  opposite  the  Gallery 
opened  and  Madeline  Spencer  entered. 

A  woman  usually  knows  her  good  points  physically 
and  how  to  bring  them  out.  And  Mrs.  Spencer 
was  an  adept  in  the  art — though,  in  truth,  little 
art  was  needed.  To  her,  Nature  had  been  over 
generous. 

She  affected  black;  and  that  was  her  gown,  now — 
cut  daringly  low  and  without  a  jot  of  color  about 
it,  save  the  dead  white  of  her  arms  and  shoulders, 
and  a  huge  bunch  of  violets  at  her  waist. 

I  thought  I  could  guess  whence  the  flowers  came. 
And,  though  I  despised  her,  yet,  I  could  but  admit 
her  dazzling  beauty. 

She  moved  slowly  about  the  room,  touching  an 
ornament  here,  a  picture  there.  At  length,  she  came 
to  the  table  and,  dropping  languidly  into  a  chair, 
rested  her  elbow  on  the  arm  and,  with  chin  in  hand, 
stared  into  vacancy. 

Presently,  there  was  a  sharp  knock  at  the  corridor 
door.  She  glanced  quickly  at  the  clock — then, 


318    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

picked  up  a  book  and,  sinking  back  in  easy  posture, 
assumed  to  read. 

"  Entrez,"  she  called,  without  looking  up. 

The  door  opened  instantly  and  a  man  entered. 
A  long  military  cloak  was  over  his  plain  evening 
dress;  one  fold  was  raised  to  hide  his  face.  He 
dropped  it  as  he  closed  the  door. 

Mrs.  Spencer  lowered  her  book — then  arose  with 
all  the  sinuous  grace  she  knew  so  well  how  to  assume. 

"Welcome,  Your  Royal  Highness,"  she  said,  and 
curtsied  very  low.  "It  was  good  of  you  to  come." 

The  Duke  of  Lotzen  tossed  off  his  cloak — and, 
coming  quickly  over,  took  her  hand  and  kissed  it. 

"It  was  more  than  good  of  you  to  let  me  come," 
he  answered. 

"I  feared  you  might  not  get  my  note,"  she  said. 
"I  believe  I  am  under  constant  surveillance." 

He  smiled.  "Even  the  Secret  Police  would 
hesitate  to  tamper  with  my  mail,"  he  said. 

"That  was  my  hope,"  she  answered. 

He  looked  at  her  steadily,  a  moment. 

"I  am  always  ready  to  be  a — hope  to  you,"  he 
said. 

She  dropped  her  eyes — then  picked  up  a  cigarette 
case  from  the  table. 

"Will  Your  Royal  Highness  smoke?"  she  asked. 

"If  you  will  light  it  for  me." 

(The  Princess  pressed  my  hand.     I  understood.) 

Mrs.  Spencer  touched  the  cigarette  to  the  tiny 
alcohol  flame;  then  offered  it  to  the  Duke. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  319 

"Someone     has    spoiled  you,"   she  said    lightly. 

Lotzen  took  her  hand  and,  with  it,  put  the  cigarette 
between  his  lips. 

"Unfortunately,  no,"  he  answered.  "But  I  once 
saw  a  pretty  woman  do  that  for  another  man." 

(Again  Dehra  pressed  my  fingers.) 

"And  did  he  hold  her  hand  afterward?"  she 
asked — freeing  her  own  from  the  Duke's. 

"They  were  not  alone,"  he  said — and  tried  to 
take  it  again. 

But  she  put  both  hands  behind  her. 

"Come,  Your  Highness,  this  is  not  the  Masque," 
she  said.  But  there  was  no  reproof  in  her  tones. 

"Tell  me,"  said  he;  "how  did  you  know  me,  last 
night?" 

"  What  matters  it  ?  Particularly,  since  it  was  only 
because  you  knew  me  that  you  spoke." 

"  You  think  I  was  searching  for  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  blew  a  cloud  of  smoke  under  the  lamp  shade 
and  watched  it  float  out  at  the  top. 

"  Were  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  If  I  said  yes,  would  it  please  you  ?  " 

"Not  unless  I  thought  it  true,  monsieur — and, 
also,  knew  the  reason." 

He  looked  at  her  steadily  a  moment. 

"  What  better  reason  could  I  have  than  that  you  are 
the  most  beautiful  woman  in  Valeria  ?  " 

She  put  her  fan  before  her  face. 

"Your  Highness 's  compliment  is  very  delicate," 
she  laughed. 


320     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"It  wasn't  meant  for  a  compliment,"  he  answered. 
"If  you  have  looked  in  your  mirror,  to-night,  you 
know  I  speak  the  simple  truth." 

She  got  up  and  went  over  to  a  great  glass,  on  the 
opposite  wall.  Lotzen  followed  her;  and  they  stood 
there,  a  bit,  looking  in  it. 

"You  like  me  in  black?"  she  asked,  smiling  at 
him  in  the  mirror. 

"I  like  you  in  anything,"  he  answered — and 
made  as  though  to  put  his  arm  around  her  waist. 

She  swung  quickly  away  from  him — just  out  of 
reach. 

"  Even  in  a  gypsy  dress  ?  "  she  asked. 

"It  was  charming — but,  I  think  I  prefer  this," 
and  he  nodded  toward  her  gleaming  shoulders. 

She  made  a  gesture  of  dissent,  and  they  went  back 
to  the  table.  Lotzen  drew  a  small  chair  close  and 
sat  staring  at  her.  She  studied  her  fan  and 
waited. 

Then  he  hooked  his  hands  about  his  knee  and 
leaned  back. 

"Do  you  know,"  he  said,  "it's  a  crying  shame 
you  are  married  to  my  dear  cousin. 

She   looked   him   full   in   the   face — and   smiled. 

"Why  didn't  you  make  me  a  widow,  then,  last 
night,  when  you  had  the  chance  ?  " 

Lotzen  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  The  chance  was  all  right,  but  the  end  was  bad — 
though  you  didn't  stay  to  see  it." 

She  laughed.    "  Didn't  I  ?    I  stayed  long  enough  to 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  321 

see  your  sword  sticking  in  the  turf.    I  took  that  to  be 
the  end — was  there  more  of  it,  later  ?  " 

"No;  that  was  the  end — for  that  time." 

"  And  for  that  particular  method,  I  fancy,"  said  she. 
"He  wields  a  pretty  blade." 

"  Had  you  known  it  ?  "  he  asked. 

"He  was  the  best  swordsman  in  the  American 
Army,"  she  answered. 

"Ordinarily,  that  does  not  mean  much,"  said 
Lotzen.  "  But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  so  far  as  I  know, 
he  has  got  only  one  superior  in  Europe." 

"Then  why   not  get  that  chap  to  fight  him?" 

The  Duke  laughed. 

"I  would  be  very  willing  to;  only,  the  ch#p 
happens  to  be  that  infernal  Irish  adventurer,  Moore, 
who  is  on  his  Staff." 

"Why  don't  you  try  it  again,  yourself?"  she 
asked. 

He  tapped  his  cigarette  carefully  against  the  ash 
receiver. 

"Because  I'm  not  yet  tired  of  life,"  he  said. 
"I  know  when  I  have  met  my  master." 

"But,  one  of  your  thrusts  might  go  home,"  she 
insisted. 

He  looked  at  her  with  an  amused  smile. 

"  Yes — it  might,"  he  said.  "  But,  you  see,  my  dear 
girl,  what  troubles  me  are  the  many  thrusts  he  has, 
any  one  of  which  would  be  sure  to  go  home  in  me." 

"  You    seem   to   have    escaped,    last   night,"   she 
observed. 
21 


322     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"Purely  by  his  favor — even  luck  hadn't  a  finger 
in  it." 

"But  discretion  had,"  she  remarked.  "He 
would  not  dare  kill  you." 

Lotzen  shook  his  head. 

"You  don't  seem  to  know  this  husband  of  yours. 
A  Dalberg  will  dare  anything." 

"Some  Dalbergs,"  she  scoffed. 

The  Duke  flushed. 

"I'm  doing  badly — you  think  me  a  coward,''  he 
said. 

"Oh,  no,  Prince — only  carefully  discreet;"  and  she 
leaned  back  and  slowly  fanned  herself. 

He  looked  at  her  for  a  bit. 

"Are  you  aware,  my  dear,  that  you  are  conniving 
at — some  might  call  it  instigating — the  death  of  your 
husband  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  smiled.     "Ami?" 

"It  is  a  very  extraordinary  situation,"  he  said, 
blowing  a  ring  of  smoke  and  watching  it  circle  away. 
"You  are  so  tired  of  him  you  want  him  killed; 
he  seems  equally  tired  of  you,  and,  moreover,  he  is 
determined  to  marry  another  woman.  Yet,  neither 
of  you  gets  a  divorce — and  you  actually  follow  him 
here — and  he,  then,  actually  refuses  to  let  you 
depart" 

The  fan  kept  moving  slowly. 

"A  very  extraordinary  situation,  indeed,  Your 
Highness, — as  you  state  it,"  she  said. 

"As  I  state  it?"  he  echoed. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  323 

She  nodded.  "  You  have  omitted  the  one  material 
fact  in  the  case." 

"And   what   is   that?"  he   asked. 

The  fan  stopped,   and  she  laughed  lightly. 

"Simply  this:    I  am  not  Armand  Dalberg's  wife." 

(Dehra  reached  over  and  took  my  hand.  The 
King  looked  at  us  both  and  nodded;  then  clapped 
me  on  the  knee.) 

For  a  space,  Lotzen  stared  at  Mrs.  Spencer — and 
she  smiled  sweetly  back  at  him. 

"Not  his  wife!"  he  ejaculated,  presently. 

Her  smile  became  a  laugh. 

"No,  monsieur;  not  his  wife." 

This  time,  Lotzen 's  stare  was  even  longer.  Then, 
suddenly,  he  laughed. 

"I  thought,  for  a  moment,  you  actually  meant 
it,"  he  said. 

She  put  both  elbows  on  the  table  and  leaned 
forward. 

"Come,  monsieur,  let  us  be  frank  with  each 
other,"  she  said.  "Not  only  am  I  not  Armand 
Dalberg's  wife,  but  you  have  always  known  it." 

He  frowned.  "My  dear  girl,"  he  said,  "I've 
been  sorrowfully  accepting  your  own  word  that  you 
are  his  wife;  how  should  I  know  that  you've 
been "  he  hesitated. 

She  finished  it  for  him — 

"Lying,  Duke,  lying,"  she  laughed. 

He  held  up  his  hands,  protestingly. 

"  Not  at  all,  my  dear;  teasing  is  the  word  I  wanted. 


She  lay  back  in  the  chair  and  laughed  softly  to 
herself. 

"Do  you  fancy  the  Grand  Duke  Armand  would 
call  it  teasing  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  joined  in  the  laugh. 

"  The  victim  never  sees  the  joke,"  he  said. 

She  sat  up  sharply. 

"  So,  then,  it  was  intended  only  as  a  joke  ? "  she 
exclaimed.  "I  thought  it  had  another  object." 

He  frowned  again. 

"I  don't  quite  follow  you,"  he  said. 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  queer  smile. 

"  My  being  brought  to  Valeria  to  pose  as  his  wife," 
she  explained. 

"You  don't  mean  you  came  here  from  America 
expressly  for  that  purpose  ?  "  he  asked. 

Her  smile  grew  broader. 

"Really,  Duke,  you  are  most  delicious,"  she  said. 
"Armand  Dalberg  told  me,  the  other  day,  that  I 
played  my  part  beautifully — he  should  see  you. 
You  are  a  premier  artiste." 

"  Madame  flatters  me,"  Lotzen  answered  with  soft 
irony;  then  tried  for  her  hand — and  failed. 

"  Well,  you  may  take  it  so,"  said  she;  "  but,  believe 
me,  your  cousin  didn't  mean  it  so,  to  me." 

He  moved  over  and  sat  on  the  edge  of  the  table 
near  her. 

She  leaned  far  back  and  put  her  hands  behind 
her. 

"  Come,  my  dear,  don't  be  so  mysterious,"  he  said. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  325 

"  Let  us  be  frank,  as  you  suggest.  You  say  you  are 
not  Armand's  wife — that,  I  am  only  too  glad  to 
believe;  I  am  delighted.  You  say  I  have  always 
known  it — that,  of  course,  is  a  mistake.  You  say 
I  am  playing  a  part,  now — that,  I  don't  under 
stand." 

"Premier  artiste,  surely,"  she  laughed.  Then, 
suddenly,  grew  sober.  "  By  all  means,  let  us  have  a 
frank  talk,"  she  said.  "It  was  for  that  I  asked  you 
here  to-night — But,  first,  light  me  a  cigarette,  and 
then  go  and  sit  down  in  that  chair." 

"  Buy  me  with  a  smile,"  he  said. 

She  bought  him — then  he  did  her  bidding. 

"  I  was  silly  enough  to  hope  it  was  only  I  that  you 
wanted  to  see,"  he  said. 

"My  note  gave  no  ground  for  such  hopes,  Your 
Highness,"  she  said.  "I  told  you  exactly  what  I 
wanted — to  discuss  a  matter  of  immediate  im 
portance." 

"Oh,  yes,  I  know — but  then  I  was  still  thinking 
of  the  Masque." 

She  looked  at  him  naively.  "Surely,  Duke,  you 
are  old  enough  to  know  that,  of  all  follies,  a  Masque 
is  chief est  and  dies  with  the  break  of  day." 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  am  learning  it, 
now,  at  any  rate." 

"And,  don't  forget,  it  was  you  who  ended  the 
pleasant  promenade,  to  pick  a  quarrel  with  the — 
Masque  in  Black." 

"  But  with  full  purpose  to  resume  it  in  a  moment.** 


326    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  After  you  had  killed  him  ?  Very  likely !  Your 
sole  thought  would  have  been  to  get  away." 

"And  to  take  you  with  me,"  he  added. 

She  laughed.  "Nonsense,  Duke;  besides,  I 
would  not  have  gpne." 

"  And  the  promenade  ?  "  he  asked. 

"With  the  Black  Masque  dead  the  promenade 
would  have  been  no  longer  necessary." 

"Oh,"  said  he:  "I'm  beginning  to  understand. 
You  met  me  last  night  for  a  particular  purpose;  and 
that,  being  frustrated  by  the  duel,  is  the  reason  for 
the  appointment  here  this  evening." 

She  was  leaning  idly  back,  and  the  fan  had 
resumed  its  languid  motions. 

"Your  Highness  has  stated  it  with  charming 
exactness,"  she  said. 

His  face  grew  stern;  and  I  saw  the  hand,  that 
hung  beside  his  chair,  clench  sharply.  Mrs.  Spencer 
saw  it,  too. 

"  Don't  be  angry,  Duke,"  she  laughed.  "  Be  grateful 
for  the  privilege  it  gives  you  of  being  here  to-night." 

Lotzen  got  up  sharply  and  took  a  step  toward 
the  door. 

"Going,  Your  Highness?"  asked  that  softly- 
caressing  voice. 

He  swung  around.  "  No,  I'm  not  going,"  he  said — 
and  sat  down.  "  A  man  would  be  a  fool  to  leave  you 
just  because  you  treated  him  heartlessly." 

This  time,  she  lit  the  cigarette,  voluntarily,  and, 
leaning  over,  put  it  between  his  lips. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  327 

"'  Is  that  the  way  you  saw  it  done  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  seized  her  hand  and  held  it  for  a  moment;  but, 
when  he  bent  over  it,  she  whisked  it  quickly  away. 

"Now,  for  the  frank  talk,"  she  laughed. 

"  By  all  means,"  he  said — and  settled  back  to  listen. 

She  toyed  with  her  cigarette;  blowing  the  smoke 
at  the  shade  and  watching  it  rush  out  at  the  top. 
It  seemed  to  be  a  favorite  trick  of  hers. 

"Of  course,  Your  Highness  is  aware  that,  by 
order  of  the  Governor  of  Dornlitz,  I  am  kept  a 
prisoner  within  the  walls  of  the  inner  city." 

Lotzen  bowed.    "So,  I  have  been  informed." 

"I  have  tried  every  possible  means  to  escape: 
disguise,  bribes,  flattery — and  all  of  no  avail.  My 
every  motion  is  watched.  I  am  dogged  by  half  the 
Secret  Police  of  the  Capital.  I'm  not  even  sure  of 
the  fidelity  of  my  own  maid." 

"You  poor  child,"  said  Lotzen. 

"I  am  sick  of  this  sort  of  life.  It's  worse  than  a 
prison  cell.  And  it's  got  to  end — and  that,  promptly. 
I  sought  you,  last  night,  at  the  Masque  to  tell  you 
that  you  must  get  me  away  and  out  of  this  miserable 
Country.  I  have  completed  my  bargain;  it  is  now 
for  you  to  complete  yours." 

The  Duke's  face  took  on  a  look  of  perplexity. 

"My  dear  girl,"  he  said,  "I  haven't  the  remotest 
notion  what  you  mean  by  your  bargain  and  mine; 
but,  I'm  very  ready  to  aid  you  to  escape.  The 
difficulty  is,  I  have  absolutely  no  power  over  a  single 
soldier  or  official  in  Dornlitz.  The  Governor's 


328    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

orders  are  absolute — none  but  the  King  can  reverse 
them.  And,  alas!  at  this  moment,  I  have  very 
little  influence  with  His  Majesty." 

"Then,  you  decline  to  aid  me?"  she  asked,  very 
quietly — the  smoke  was  again  going  through  the 
lamp  shade. 

"On  the  contrary,  I  am  ready  to  do  anything  I 
can;  but,  I  fear,  I'm  powerless.  Indeed,  if  you're 
under  the  close  surveillance  you  indicate,  it  would  be 
about  impossible.  And  I  know  whereof  I  speak. 
You  would  be  no  more  immune  in  my  carriage  than 
in  a  public  cab.  Even  if  I  were  beside  you,  you 
could  not  pass  the  gates.  It  might,  however,  be 
effected  in  some  way  I  cannot  scheme,  on  the 
instant.  I  will  investigate  and,  if  I  can  devise  any 
method,  I  shall  do  my  utmost  to  release  you." 

She  straightened  up — and  the  fan  quit  its  beating. 

"That  sounds  well — and  may  mean  well;  but, 
it's  short  of  the  mark,"  said  she.  "  I  am  determined 
not  to  remain  in  this  town  another  day.  You  must 
get  me  away  before  to-morrow  night." 

"Impossible!"  Lotzen  exclaimed.  "You  know 
not  what  you  ask." 

She  looked  at  him  coldly. 

"Very  good,  Your  Highness,"  she  said.  "I  have 
given  you  your  chance.  I  have  played  fair  with  you. 
Now,  we  are  quits." 

"  And  you  don't  want  my  aid  ?  "  he  asked. 

"Not  unless  it's  given  before  noon  to-morrow." 

He  raised  his  hands. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  329 

"There  are  only  two  people  in  the  world  who 
could  get  you  out  of  Dornlitz  by  noon  to-morrow — 
the  King  and  the  Governor." 

"Exactly,"  said  she.  "And,  to  one  of  them,  I 
shall  go  in  the  morning." 

"  Better  try  Frederick,"  Lotzen  laughed.  "  He  has 
a  weak  side  for  a  pretty  woman." 

(I  did  not  look  at  the  King — but  I  heard  him 
sniff  angrily.) 

"No — I  shall  try  the  Governor,"  she  returned. 
"He  told  me,  one  day,  in  his  office,  that,  when  I 
acknowledged  that  I  was  not  his  wife  and  that  the 
marriage  certificate  was  false,  I  would  be  permitted 
to  leave  the  Kingdom."  She  paused,  a  moment. 
"Does  Your  Highness  wish  me  to  go  to  the 
Governor  ?  " 

I  thought  the  Duke  would  weaken — but,  as 
usual,  I  got  a  surprise. 

"My  dear  girl,"  said  he,  "I  shall  be  heartbroken 
if  you  leave  Valeria — but,  if  that  is  all  you  need  to  do 
to  be  free  to  go — and  you  are  not,  in  fact,  Armand 
Dalberg's  wife — then  I  am  surprised  that  you  have 
not  done  it  long  ago." 

She  smiled,  rather  sadly. 

"Yes,  I  fancy  you  are.  I'm  rather  surprised 
myself.  It  would  sound  queer,  to  some  people  in 
America,  but  I  have  actually  tried,  for  once  in  my 
life,  to  keep  faith  to  the  end.  But  it  is  as  I  always 
thought — not  worth  the  while.  I'll  know  better 
again." 


330    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Then,  she  got  up  and,  going  behind  her  chair, 
leaned  over  the  back. 

"Does  Your  Highness  realize  what  my  going  to 
the  Governor  means  to  you  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  don't  seem  to  be  able  to  follow  your  argument," 
he  said;  "and  I'm  a  poor  guesser  of  riddles." 

"It  means  that  I  shall  have  to  tell  the  whole  ugly 
story  of  how  I  chanced  to  come  to  Dornlitz  to  pose 
as  the  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  Armand." 

He  took  a  fresh  cigarette  and  carefully  lit  it. 

"But,  my  dear  girl,"  he  said,  "I  don't  see  how 
that  would  affect  me  ?  " 

She  laughed. 

"  Still  the  premier  artiste!  Well,  play  it  out.  If  you 
want  to  hear  what  you  already  know  it's  no  trouble 
to  tell  you.  Shall  I  begin  at  the  very  beginning?" 

"By  all  means!"  said  he.  "Maybe,  then,  I  can 
catch  the  point." 

"Listen,"  said  she.  "For  many  years  I  have 
known  Armand  Dalberg.  One  day,  several  months 
ago,  there  came  a  man  to  me,  in  the  City  of  New 
York.  How  he  happened  to  find  me  is  no  matter. 
He  spoke  English  perfectly — though  I  thought  he 
was  a  Frenchman.  The  name  on  his  card  was 
Herbert  Wilkes;  but,  I  knew  that  was  assumed, 
and  I  have  learned,  lately,  who  he  is.  Since  you, 
too,  know,  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  repeat  it.  His 
offer  to  me  was  this:  If  I  would  go  immediately 
to  Dornlitz  and  publicly  claim  the  American, 
Armand  Dalberg — who  had  just  been  restored  to 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  331 

his  rightful  place  as  a  Grand  Duke  of  Valeria — as 
my  husband,  I  was  to  receive  an  enormous  sum  of 
money  (the  amount  Your  Highness  also  knows) 
and  all  expenses.  ,1  accepted  instantly,  mainly 
for  the  money;  but,  also,  to  satisfy  a  personal  grudge 
I  had  against  Major  Dalberg.  I  made  the  one 
condition,  however,  that  a  marriage  certificate  must 
be  procured — the  date  for  which  I  gave;  choosing  one 
on  which  I  happened  to  know  Major  Dalberg  was  in 
New  York.  And  it  was  done.  How,  I  neither  knew 
nor  cared.  One-half  the  money  was  given  me  in 
advance — the  balance  to  be  paid  the  day  I  executed 
my  mission.  I  received  it  the  morning  following 
that  scene  at  the  Grand  Duke's  supper  party  at  the 
Hanging  Garden.  And,  God  knows,  I  earned  every 
cent  of  it!  I  was  guaranteed  protection  while  in 
Valeria,  and  to  be  at  liberty  to  depart  one  week  after 
I  had  made  the  public  assertion  of  the  marriage  and 
had  exhibited  the  certificate." 

She  paused. 

"Now,  perchance,  Your  Highness  understands 
the  matter,"  she  added,  and  smiled  sweetly. 

He  flecked  the  ash  from  his  cigarette  and  shook  his 
head. 

"  I  understand  no  more  than  I  did  at  first,  how  this 
plot  against  the  Grand  Duke  Armand  affects  me," 
he  said. 

"  Of  course,  it  may  not  occur  to  Your  Highness — 
but  it  doubtless  would  to  the  King — who,  of  all 
living  creatures,  would  be  most  benefited  and  who 


332     COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

most  injured  by  my  marriage  story.  However,  if 
you  are  not  my  employer,  then,  it  will  not  hurt  you. 
And,  as  I  cannot  imagine  who  else  it  could  be,  I 
shall  simply  fling  the  whole  business  overboard;  go 
to  the  Governor  to-morrow;  tell  the  truth;  endorse 
on  the  marriage  certificate  the  fact  of  its  falseness; 
give  it  to  him — and  take  the  first  train  for  Paris — 
And,  I  fancy,  I  shall  read  the  betrothal  notice  of  the 
Princess  Royal  of  Valeria  and  the  Grand  Duke 
Armand  before  I've  been  there  a  week." 

Lotzen  got  up  and  went  over  to  her. 

"  Do  you  know  you  are  a  very  clever  woman  ? " 
he  said. 

She  looked  archly  up  at  him. 

"  You  will  enable  me  to  escape  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  took  her  hand — and,  this  time,  it  was  not 
withdrawn. 

"I  will  do  my  best,"  he  said;  "but,  it's  a  fierce 
risk  for  me.  If  detected,  it  would  mean,  at  the  very 
least,  a  year's  banishment. 

She  smiled. 

"It  would  mean  something  more  than  that  if  I 
told  my  story,"  she  said. 

"I'm  doing  it  for  you;  not  from  fear  of  the  story," 
he  said  softly. 

"  It's  nicer,  that  way,  isn't  it  ?  "  she  asked. 

He  put  his  arm  around  her — and  she  let  him  kiss 
her,  once.  Then,  she  drew  away. 

"Sit  down  and  let  us  talk  it  over,"  she  said. 

The  King  got  up  suddenly. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  333 

"Come  along,  Armand,"  he  said,  and  hurried 
from  the  Gallery. 

I  followed  him,  without  a  word — for  none  was 
needed.  The  end  of  Lotzen's  game  was  very  near, 
indeed. 

In  the  lower  corridor,  we  met  a  servant. 

"  Show  us  to  the  apartments  of  Madame  Dalberg," 
Frederick  ordered. 

A  dozen  steps  brought  us  to  a  large  double 
door. 

"This  is  the  entrance,  Your  Majesty,"  said  the 
man. 

The  King  rapped  sharply.  There  was  no  prompt 
answer  and  he  rapped  again. 

In  a  moment,  the  door  was  opened  by  Mrs. 
Spencer's  maid. 

"Madame  is  not  at  home,"  she  said  mechani 
cally. 

Without  a  word  Frederick  brushed  her  aside  and 
stepped  quickly  in — and  I  after  him. 

Mrs.  Spencer  sat  facing  the  door  and  saw  us  enter. 
It  is  inconceivable  that  she  should  not  have  been 
surprised,  and,  yet,  she  betrayed  absolutely  no  sign 
of  it.  Indeed,  one  would  have  thought  we  were 
expected  guests.  Truly,  she  was  a  very  wonderful 
woman. 

She  said  something,  very  low,  to  the  Duke;  then, 
came  forward  and  curtsied  to  the  King. 

"Your  Majesty  honors  me  overmuch,"  she  said. 
And  then  to  me — "  Does  this  really  mean  that  Your 


334    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Royal  Highness  has  at  last  decided  to  acknowledge 
me?" 

Meanwhile,  Lotzen  had  arisen  and  was  standing 
stiffly  at  attention,  his  eyes  on  the  King.  I  thought 
his  face  was  a  trifle  pale — and  I  did  not  wonder. 

Frederick  laughed,  curtly,  and  motioned  for  her  to 
rise. 

"The  play  is  over,  Mrs.  Spencer,"  he  said.  "We 
will  have  no  more  acting,  if  you  please." 

She  straightened,  instantly. 

"  Your  Majesty  is  pleased  to  be  discourteous — but  it 
seems  to  be  a  Dalberg  characteristic,"  she  sneered. 
Then  she  broke  out  angrily :  "  And,  as  neither  you 
nor  that  renegade  there," — indicating  me  with  a 
nod  and  a  look, — "was  invited  here,  I  take  it  I 
am  quite  justified  in  requesting  you  both  to  depart. 
You  may  be  a  King,  but  that  gives  you  no  privilege 
to  force  your  way  into  a  woman's  apartments  and 
insult  her.  You  are  a  brave  gentleman,  surely,  and 
a  worthy  monarch.  I  suppose  you  brought  your  pet 
to  protect  you  lest  I  offer  you  violence.  Well,  I'll 
give  him  the  chance." 

Even  as  she  said  it,  like  a  flash,  she  seized  a  heavy 
glass  vase  from  the  table  and  hurled  it  straight  at 
the  King. 

It  was  not  a  woman's  throw.  Madeline  Spencer 
had  learned  the  man's  swing,  in  her  Army  days,  and, 
had  the  vase  struck  home,  the  chances  are  there 
would  have  been  a  new  King  in  Dornlitz,  that 
night. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  335 

And  such  was  Lotzen's  thought,  for  he  smiled 
wickedly  and  glanced  at  me. 

But,  quick  though  she  was,  the  King  was  quicker. 
He  jerked  his  head  aside.  The  vase  missed  him  by 
the  fraction  of  an  inch  and  crashed  to  bits  against  the 
opposite  wall. 

Frederick  turned  and  looked  at  the  fragments, 
and  at  the  cut  in  the  hangings. 

"Madame  is  rather  muscular,"  he  observed, 
dryly. 

"And  Your  Majesty  is  a  clever  dodger,"  she  said, 
with  sneering  indifference — then  leaned  back  against 
the  table,  a  hand  on  either  side  of  her. 

"  Is  it  possible  you  are  not  going  ?  "  she  asked. 

The  King  smiled.  "Presently,  my  dear  madame, 
presently.  Meanwhile,  I  pray  you,  have  consider 
ation  for  the  ornaments  and  the  wall." 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"As  I  cannot  expect  the  servants  to  forcibly  eject 
their  King,  and  as  the  Duke  of  Lotzen  dare  not,  I 
presume  I'll  have  to  submit  to  your  impertinent 
intrusion.  Pray,  let  me  know  your  business  here — 
I  assume  it  is  business — and  get  it  ended  quickly. 
I  will  expedite  it  all  I  may.  Anything,  to  be  rid  of 
you  and  that  popinjay  in  red  beside  you." 

"Your  husband,  madame,"  the  King  observed. 

"Aye,  my  husband,  for  a  time,"  she  answered. 

"Aye,  Mrs.  Spencer,  your  husband  for  a  time — •' 
for  a  purpose — and  for  a  consideration." 

She  opened  her  eyes  wide. 


336    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

"  Indeed ! "  she  laughed.  "  I  thought  the  acting  was 
over,  Sire." 

Frederick's  manner  changed. 

"It  is,"  he  said  sharply.  "  We  will  come  to  the 
point.  Have  you  ink  and  pen  ?  " 

"Is  that  what  you  came  for?"  she  sneered. 
"  Have  you  none  at  the  Palace  ?  " 

"Quite  enough  to  sign  an  order  within  an  hour 
for  your  incarceration  if  you  continue  obdurate," 
he  answered. 

"A  kingly  threat,  truly,"  she  mocked.  "And, 
what  if  I  be  not  obdurate  ?  " 

"  Then  it  will  be  an  order  permitting  you  to  leave 
Valeria  at  once." 

"Now,  Your  Majesty  interests  me,"  she  said. 
"I  have  been  waiting  for  that  a  month  and  more. 
What  is  the  price  for  this  order  ?  " 

"Simply  the  truth,  madame,"  said  the  King. 

"  Sometimes,  the  truth  is  the  highest  price  one  can 
pay,"  she  answered. 

"It  will  be  very  easy  here,"  he  said.  "You  have 
a  paper  purporting  to  be  a  certificate  of  marriage 
between  you  and  Armand  Dalberg." 

She  inclined  her  head. 

"  On  it  you  will  endorse  that  it  is  a  false  certificate; 
that  you  are  not  and  never  were  his  wife;  that  it  was 
procured  for  you,  in  New  York,  long  subsequent  to 
its  apparent  date;  and  that  you  were  paid  an 
enormous  sum  of  money — fill  in  the  actual  amount, 
please — to  go  immediately  to  Dornlitz,  exhibit  the  cer- 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  337 

tificate,  there,  and  publicly  claim  the  Grand  Duke 
Armand  as  your  husband.  That,  madame,  is  all." 

I  was  observing  Lotzen;  and,  even  now,  his  nerve 
never  failed  him.  He  watched  the  King,  intently, 
as  he  spoke.  At  the  end,  his  face  took  on  a  smile  of 
cynical  indifference — and,  dropping  from  the  respect 
ful  position  in  which  he  had  been  standing,  he  turned 
and  sat  on  the  table,  one  leg  swinging  carelessly  over 
the  corner. 

Mrs.  Spencer  shot  a  quick  glance  at  him — but  he 
gave  no  answer  back. 

"Your  Majesty  has  omitted  one  little  matter," 
she  said.  "By  whom  shall  I  say  the  money  was 
paid?" 

"Thank  you — so  I  had.  Make  it — by  persons 
to  you  unknown." 

Mrs.  Spencer  smiled  frankly. 

"Your  Majesty  was  quite  right,"  she  said.  "The 
play  is  over." 

She  touched  a  bell — the  maid  entered. 

"My  jewel  case,"  she  said. 

The  King  crossed  to  a  writing  desk  and,  taking 
pen  and  ink,  placed  them  on  the  table.  Then  the 
maid  brought  the  casket. 

From  the  bottom  tray,  Mrs.  Spencer  took  a  paper 
and  handed  it  to  the  King,  who,  after  a  glance, 
returned  it. 

"  If  your  Majesty  will  dictate,  I  will  write,"  she  said. 

Slowly,   Frederick   repeated  the   confession — and 

the  pen  scratched  out  line  after  line  on  the  white 

22 


338    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

page.  When  it  was  ended,  she  passed  it  back 
again  to  the  King,  and  he  read  it  carefully. 

"Sign  it,  please,"  he  said. 

She  looked  up,  with  an  amused  smile. 

"  With  what  name  ?  "  she  asked. 

"Your  lawful  one,"  said  Frederick. 

"Madeline  Spencer,"  she  answered — and  dashed 
it  off. 

Then,  for  the  first  time  since  we  entered  the  room, 
the  King  looked  at  Lotzen.  Hitherto.,  he  had 
ignored  him,  utterly. 

"Witness  it,"  he  said  sternly. 

I  smiled — and  so  did  Madeline  Spencer.  It  was 
the  refinement  of  retribution. 

Without  a  word  or  a  change  of  feature,  Lotzen 
obeyed.  Then  Frederick,  himself,  signed  it;  and, 
folding  it  carefully,  gave  it  to  me. 

"Will  Your  Majesty  graciously  pardon  the 
violence  I  offered  you  ?  "  Mrs.  Spencer  said. 

Frederick  nodded. 

"Readily,  madame,"  he  said.  "In  a  way,  you 
were  justified — and,  then,  you  missed  me.  Had  you 
hit  me,  my  pardon  might  not  have  been  required." 

"  And  will  you  not  tell  me  how  you  discovered  the 
truth  ?  "  she  asked. 

"I  chanced  to  learn  of  this  meeting  with  His 
Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Lotzen,  and  was  a 
witness  of  all  that  occurred  here  between  you." 

"You  cannot  mean  that  you  overheard  our  con 
versation!"  she  exclaimed. 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  339 

"Every  word,"  said  the  King. 

"  But  where — and  how  ?  " 

The  Duke  glanced  up  toward  the  Gallery — and  a 
bitter  smile  crossed  his  face. 

"His  Grace  of  Lotzen  has  guessed  it,"  said 
Frederick. 

She  turned  to  the  Duke  interrogatingly. 

"The  gallery — behind  the  arras,  yonder,"  he  said 

"Exactly,"  said  the  King. 

"And  you  forgot  the  Gallery?"  Mrs.  Spencer 
asked,  mockingly. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  with  a  shrug  and  a  lift  of  his  eye 
brows,  "I  forgot  it." 

She  turned  to  the  King. 

"  I  shall  be  ready,  Sire,  to  depart  for  Paris  on  the 
evening  train,  to-morrow,"  she  said. 

"You  shall  have  the  permit  in  the  morning,"  he 
answered. 

Then  he  turned  to  Lotzen — and  the  Duke  saw 
and  understood.  He  straightened  up  and  his  heels 
came  together  sharply. 

Frederick  looked  at  him,   sternly  for  a  moment. 

"It  is  unnecessary,  sir,  for  me  to  particularize," 
he  said.  "  You  know  your  crimes  and  their  purpose — 
so  do  I.  The  Court  has  no  present  need  of  plotters 
and  will  be  the  better  for  your  absence.  It  has  been 
over  long  since  you  visited  your  titular  estates,  and 
they  doubtless  require  your  immediate  attention. 
You  are,  therefore,  permitted  to  depart  to  them 
forthwith — and  to  remain  indefinitely." 


340    COLONEL  OF  THE  RED  HUZZARS 

Lotzen's  hand  rose  in  salute. 

"Yes,  Your  Majesty,"  he  answered. 

The  King  bowed  to  Mrs.  Spencer. 

"  Madame,.  I  bid  you  good  evening  and  good 
bye,"  he  said. 

She  curtsied  low. 

"I  thank  Your  Majesty  for  your  gracious  con 
sideration,"  she  said. 

Then  she  stepped  quickly  toward  me  and  held  out 
her  hand. 

"Will  you  not  say  farewell,  Armand — as  in  the 
days,  long  past  ?  "  she  asked. 

I  knew  the  Princess  was  looking;  but  I  was  in  a 
generous  mood.  I  took  her  hand  and  bowed  over  it. 

"Captain  Dalberg  bids  farewell  to  Colonel 
Spencer's  wife,"  I  said. 

Then  I  followed  the  King. 


A  week  has  passed  since  the  night  in  the  Gallery. 
Madeline  Spencer  has  gone — forever  from  my  path, 
I  trust.  His  Royal  Highness,  the  Duke  of  Lotzen, 
has  taken  a  long  leave,  and  is  sojourning  on  his 
mountain  estates  for  the  benefit  of  his  health.  There 
has  been  another  supper  of  six  at  the  Inn  of  the 
Twisted  Pines — with  four  bottles  of  Imperial 
Tokay;  and,  afterward,  a  charming  ride  home  in  the 
moonlight. 

To-night,  there  is  to  be  a  great  State  Dinner  at  the 
Palace,  whereat  His  Majesty  will  formally  announce 


THE  END  OF  THE  PLAY  341 

the  betrothal  of  the  Princess  Royal  of  Valeria  and 
Field  Marshal,  the  Grand  Duke  Armand. 

So  much  I  know — and,  surely,  it  is  enough;  and 
far  more  than  enough.  Yet,  having  that  fixed  and 
settled,  there  is  another  matter  touching  which 
Dehra  and  I  have  a  vast  curiosity: 

What  says  the  great,  brass-bound  Laws  of  the 
Dalbergs?  Has  the  Order  of  Succession  been 
changed?  Will  I  supplant  Lotzen  as  the  Heir 
Presumptive  ? 

But,  on  that,  His  Majesty  is  silent;  and  the  Book 
is  locked.  Nor  does  even  the  Princess  venture  to 
inquire.  Perchance,  he  is  reserving  it  for  a  surprise 
at  the  Dinner,  to-night.  Perchance,  he  thinks  I  have 
honor  sufficient. 

Yet,  none  the  less,  do  I  wonder;  and,  I  confess  it, 
none  the  less  do  I  hope.  Nor  is  the  hope  for  myself 
alone — for,  to  be  an  Archduke  of  Valeria  is  rank 
enough  for  any  man — but,  also,  for  her  whom  I  love, 
and  the  Nation  loves,  and  who  was  born  to  wear  a 
Crown. 

And,  for  her  dear  sake,  do  I  pray,  with  all  humility, 
yet,  somehow,  with  the  confidence  of  Right,  that,  in 
my  unworthy  self,  the  Line  of  stubborn  old  Hugo 
may  come  to  its  own  again. 

FINIS 


FAMOUS  COPYRIGHT   BOOKS 
IN   POPULAR   PRICED   EDITIONS 

Re-issues  of  the  great^iterary  successes  of  the  time.  Library 
size.  Printed  on  excellent  paper — most  of  them  with  illustra 
tions  of  marked  beauty — and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth. 
Price,  75  cents  a  volume,  postpaid. 

BEVERLY  OF  GRAUSTARK.  By  George  Barr  McCut- 
cheon.  With  Color  Frontispiece  and  other  illustrations 
by  Harrison  Fisher.  Beautiful  inlay  picture  hi  colors  of 
Beverly  on  the  cover. 

"  The  most  fascinating,  engrossing  and  picturesque  of  the  season's 
novels. " — Boston  Herald.  "  '  Beverly '  is  altogether  charming — al 
most  living  flesh  and  blood." — Louisville  Times.  "  Better  than 
'  Graustark  '." — Mail  and  Express.  "  A  sequel  quite  as  impossible 
as  '  Graustark  '  and  quite  as  entertaining." — Bookman.  "  A  charm 
ing  love  story  well  told.'1— Boston  Transcript, 

HALF  A  ROGUE.    By  Harold  MacGrath.     With  illustra 
tions  and  inlay  cover  picture  by  Harrison  Fisher. 
"  Here  are  dexterity  of  plot,  glancing  play  at  witty  talk,  characters 
really  human  and  humanly  real,  spirit  and  gladness,  freshness  and 
quick  movement.    '  Half  a  Rogue  '  is  as  brisk  as  a  horseback  ride  on 
a  glorious  morning.    It  is  as  varied  as  an  April  day.   It  is  as  charming 
as  two  most  charming  girls  can  make  it.      Love  and  honor  and  suc 
cess  and  all  the  great  things  worth  fighting  for  and  living  for  the  in 
volved  in  '  Half  a  Rogue.'  "— PAila.  Press. 

THE  GIRL  FROM  TIM'S   PLACE.     By  Charles  Clark 

Munn.  With  illustrations  by  Frank  T.  Merrill. 
"Figuring  in  the  pages  of  this  story  there  are  several  strong  char 
acters.  Typical  New  England  folk  and  an  especially  sturdy  one,  old 
Cy  Walker,  through  whose  instrumentality  Chip  comes  to  happiness 
and  fortune.  There  is  a  chain  of  comedy,  tragedy,  pathos  and  love, 
which  makes  a  dramatic  story."— Boston  Herald. 

i  HE  LION  AND  THE  MOUSE.    A  story  of  American  Life. 
By  Charles  Klein,  and  Arthur  Hornblow.      With  illustra 
tions  by  Stuart  Travis,  and  Scenes  from  the  Play. 
The  novel  duplicated  the  success  of  the  play ;  in  fact  the  book  is 
greater  than  the  play.    A  portentous  clash  of  dominant  personalties 
that  form  the  essence  of  the  play  are  necessarily  touched  upon  but 
briefly  in  the  short  space  of  four  acts.     All  this  is  narrated  in  the 
novel  with  a  wealth  of  fascinating  and  absorbing  detail,  making  it  one 
of  the  most  powerfully  written  and  exciting  works  of  fiction  given  to 
the  world  in  years. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  -  NEW  YORK 


FAMOUS  COPYRIGHT  BOOKS 
IN    POPULAR    PRICED  EDITIONS 

Re-issues  of  the  great  literary  successes  of  the  time.  Library 
size.  Printed  on  excellent  paper — most  of  them  with  illustra 
tions  of  marked  beauty — and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth. 
Price,  75  cents  a  volume,  postpaid. 

BARBARA    WINSLOW,    REBEL.      By   Elizabeth  Ellis. 

With  illustrations  by  John  Rae,  and  colored  inlay  cover. 
The  following,  taken  from  story,  will  best  describe  the  heroine : 
A  TOAST:  "To  the  bravest  comrade  in  misfortune,  the  sweetest 
companion  in  peace  and  at  all  times  the  most  courageous  of  women." 
— Barbara  Wtnslow.  "  A  romantic  story,  buoyant,  eventful,  and  in 
matters  of  love  exactly  what.the  heart.could  desire.  "—New  York  Sun. 

SUSAN.    By  Ernest  Oldmeadow.    With  a  color  frontispiece 

by  Frank  Haviland.  Medalion  in  color  on  front  cover. 
Lord  Ruddington  falls  helplessly  in  love  with  Miss  Langley,  whom 
be  sees  in  one  of  her  walks  accompanied  by  her  maid,  Susan. 
Through  a  misapprehension  of  personalities  his  lordship  addresses 
a  love  missive  to  the  maid.  Susan  accepts  in  perfect  good  faith, 
and  an  epistolary  love-making  goes  on  till  they  are  disillusioned.  It 
naturally  makes  a  droll  and  delightful  little  comedy ;  and  is  a  story 
that  is  particularly  clever  in  the  telling. 

WHEN  PATTY  WENT  TO  COLLEGE.    By  Jean  Web 
ster.    With  illustrations  by  C.  D.  Williams. 
"The  book  is  a  treasure." — Chicago  Daily    News.       "Bright, 
whimsical,  and  thoroughly  entertaining." — Buffalo  Express.    "  One 
of  the  best  stories  of  life  in  a  girl's  college  that  has  ever  been  writ 
ten." — IV.  Y.  Press.    "  To  any  woman  who  has  enjoyed  the  pleasures 
of  a  collegelife  this  book  cannot  fail  to  bring  back  many  sweet  recol 
lections  ;  and  to  those  who  have  not  been  to  college  the  wit,  lightness, 
and  charm  of  Patty  are  sure  to  be  no  less  delightful."— Public  Opinion. 

THE  MASQUERADER.     By  Katherine  Cecil  Thurston. 

With  illustrations  by  Clarence  F.  Underwood. 
"  You  can't  drop  it  till  you  have  turned  the  last  page." — Cleveland 
Leader.    "  Its  very  audacity  of  motive,  of  execution,  of  solution,  al 
most  takes  one's  breath  away.     The  boldness  of  its  denouement 
is  sublime." — Boston  Transcript.    "  The  literary  hit  of  a  generation . 
The  best  of  it  is  the  story  deserves  all  its  success.    A  masterly  story." 
— St.  Louis  Dispatch.    "  The  story  is  ingeniously  told,  and  cleverly 
constructed." — The  Dial. 
THE  GAMBLER.    By  Katherine  Cecil  Thurston.     With 

illustrations  by  John  Campbell. 

"  Tells  of  a  high  strung  young  Irish  woman  who  has  a  passion  for 
gambling,  inherited  from  a  long  line  of  sporting  ancestors.  She  has 
a  high  sense  of  honor,  too,  and  that  causes  complications.  She  is  a 
very  human,  lovable  character,  and  love  saves  her." — N.  Y.  Times. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,      -      NEW  YORK 


FAMOUS  COPYRIGHT  BOOKS 
IN   POPULAR   PRICED   EDITIONS 

Re-issues  of  the  great  literary  successes  of  the  time.  Library 
size.  Printed  on  excellent  paper — most  of  them  with  illustra 
tions  of  marked  beauty — and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth. 
Price,  75  cents  a  volume,  postpaid. 

THE  AFFAIR  AT  THE  INN.    By  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin. 

With  illustrations  by  Martin  Justice. 

"  As  superlatively  clever  in  the  writing  as  it  is  entertaining  in  the 
reading.  It  is  actual  comedy  of  the  most  artistic  sort,  and  it  is 
handled  with  a  freshness  and  originality  that  is  unquestionably 
novel." — Boston  Transcript.  "  A  feast  of  humor  and  good  cheer, 
yet  subtly  pervaded  by  special  shades  of  feeling,  fancy,  tenderness, 
or  whimsicality.  A  merry  thing  in  prose, " — St.  Louis  Democrat. 

ROSE  O'  THE  RIVER.    By  Kate  Douglas  Wiggin.    With 

illustrations  by  George  Wright. 

"  '  Rose  o'  the  River,'  a  charming  bit  of  sentiment,  gracefully 
written  and  deftly  touched  with  a  gentle  humor.  It  is  a  dainty  book 
—daintily  illustrated." — New  York  Tribune.  "A  wholesome,  bright, 
refreshing  story,  an  ideal  book  to  give  a  young  girl." — Chicago 
Record-Herald.  "  An  idyllic  story,  replete  with  pathos  and  inimita 
ble  humor.  As  story-telling  it  is  perfection,  and  as  portrait-painting 
it  is  true  to  the  life.' ' — London  Mail. 

TILLIE :    A  Mennonite  Maid.    By  Helen  R.  Martin.    With 

illustrations  by  Florence  Scovel  Shinn. 

The  little  "  Mennonite  Maid  "  who  wanders  through  these  pages 
is  something  quite  new  in  fiction.  Tillie  is  hungry  for  books  and 
beauty  and  love ;  and  she  comes  into  her  inheritance  at  the  end. 
"  Tillie  is  faulty,  sensitive,  big-hearted,  eminently  human,  and  first, 
last  and^always  lovable.  Her  charm  glows  warmly,  the  story  is  well 
handled,  the  characters  skilfully  developed." — The  Book  Buyer. 

LADY  ROSE'S  DAUGHTER.    By  Mrs.  Humphry  Ward. 

With  illustrations  by  Howard  Chandler  Christy. 
•'The  most  marvellous  work  of  its  wonderful  author."— New  York 
World.  "We  touch  regions  and  attain  altitudes  which  it  is  not  given 
to  the  ordinary  novelist  even  to  approach." — London  Times.  "In 
no  other  story  has  Mrs.  Ward  approached  the  brilliancy  and  vivacity 
of  Lady  Rose's  Daughter." — North  American  Review. 

THE  B  ANKER'AND  THE  BEAR.  By  Henry  K.  Webster. 
"An  exciting  and  absorbing  story." — New  York  Times.  "Intense 
ly  thrilling  in  parts,  but  an  unusually  good  story  all  through.  There 
is  a  love  affair  of  real  charm  and  most  novel  surroundings,  there  is  a 
run  on  the  bank  which  is  almost  worth  a  year's  growth,  and  there  is 
all  manner  of  exhilarating  men  and  deeds  which  should  bring  the 
book  into  high  and  permanent  favor." — Chicago  Evening  Post. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  -  NEW  YORK 


NATURE      BOOKS 

With  Colored  Plates,  and  Photographs  from  Life. 


BIRD  NEIGHBORS.  An  Introductory  Acquaint 
ance  with  1 50  Birds  Commonly  Found  in  the  Woods, 
Fields  and  Gardens  About  Our  Homes.  By  Neltje 
Blanchan.  With  an  Introduction  by  John  Burroughs, 
and  many  plates  of  birds  in  natural  colors.  Large 
Quarto,  size  7^x10^6,  Cloth.  Formerly  published 
at  $2.00.  Our  special  price,  $1.00. 

As  an  aid  to  the  elementary  study  of  bird  life  nothing  has  ever  been 
published  more  satisfactory  than  this  most  successful  of  Nature 
Books.  This  book  makes  the  identification  of  our  birds  simple  and 
positive,  even  to  the  uninitiated,  through  certain  unique  features. 

I.  All  the  birds  are  grouped  according  to  color,  in  the  belief  that  a 
bird's  coloring  is  the  first  and  often  the  only  characteristic  noticed. 

II.  By  another  classification,  the  birds  are  grouped  according  to  their 
season.    III.  All  the  popular  names  by  which  a  bird  is  known  are 
given  both  in  the  descriptions  and  the  index.    The  colored  plates 
are  the  most  beautiful  and  accurate  ever  given  in  a  moderate-priced 
and  popular  book.     The  most  successful  and  widely  sold  Nature 
Book  yet  published. 

BIRDS  THAT  HUNT  AND  ARE  HUNTED.  Life 
Histories  of  1 70  Birds  of  Prey,  Game  Birds  and  Water- 
Fowls.  By  Neltje  Blanchan.  With  Introduction  by 
G.  O.  Shields  (Coquina).  24  photographic  illustra 
tions  in  color.  Large  Quarto,  size  7^x10^.  Form 
erly  published  at  $2.00.  Our  special  price,  $1.00. 

No  work  of  its  class  has  ever  been  issued  that  contains  so  much 
valuable  information,  presented  with  such  felicity  and  charm.  The 
colored  plates  are  true  to  nature.  By  their  aid  alone  any  bird  illus 
trated  may  be  readily  identified.  Sportsmen  will  especially  relish 
the  twenty-four  color  plates  which  show  the  more  important  birds  in 
characteristic  poses.  They  are  probably  the  most  valuable  and 
artistic  pictures  of  the  kind  available  to-day. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  -  NEW  YORK 


NATURE      BOOKS 

With  Colored  Plates,  and  Photographs  from  Life. 

NATURE'S  GARDEN.  An  Aid  to  Knowledge  of 
Our  Wild  Flowers  and  Their  Insect  Visitors.  24  col 
ored  plates,  and  many  other  illustrations  photographed 
directly  from  nature.  Text  by  Neltje  Blanchan. 
Large  Quarto,  size  7  2^x10^.  Cloth.  Formerly  pub 
lished  at  $3.00  net.  Our  special  price,  $1.25. 

Suberb  color  portraits  of  many  familiar  flowers  in 
their  living  tints,  and  no  less  beautiful  pictures  in 
black  and  white  of  others — each  blossom  photo 
graphed  directly  from  nature — form  an  unrivaled 
series.  By  their  aid  alone  the  novice  can  name  the 
flowers  met  afield. 

Intimate  life-histories  of  over  five  hundred  species 
of  wild  flowers,  written  in  untechnical,  vivid  lan 
guage,  emphasize  the  marvelously  interesting  and 
vital  relationship  existing  between  these  flowers  and 
the  special  insect  to  which  each  is  adapted. 

The  flowers  are  divided  into  five  color  groups,  be 
cause  by  this  arrangement  any  one  with  no  knowl 
edge  of  botany  whatever  can  readily  identify  the 
specimens  met  during  a  walk.  The  various  popular 
names  by  which  each  species  is  known,  its  preferred 
dwelling-place,  months  of  blooming  and  geographical 
distribution  follow  its  description.  Lists  of  berry- 
bearing  and  other  plants  most  conspicuous  after  the 
flowering  season,  of  such  as  grow  together  in  differ 
ent  kinds  of  soil,  and  finally  of  family  groups  ar 
ranged  by  that  method  of  scientific  classification 
adopted  by  the  International  Botanical  Congress 
which  has  now  superseded  all  others,  combine  to 
make  "  Nature's  Garden"  an  indispensable  guide. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  -  NEW  YORK 


FAMOUS  COPYRIGHT    BOOKS 
IN   POPULAR   PRICED    EDITIONS 

Re-issues  of  the  great  literary  successes  of  the  time.  Library 
size.  Printed  on  excellent  paper — most  of  them  with  illustra 
tions  of  marked  beauty — and  handsomely  bound  in  cloth. 
Price,  75  cents  a  volume,  postpaid. 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  SERVICE.  By  Edith  Elmer 
Wood.  With  illustrations  by  Rufus  Zogbaum. 

The  standards  and  life  of  "  the  new  navy"  are  breezily  set  forth 
with  a  geuuine  ring  impossible  from  the  most  gifted  "outsider." 
"  The  story  of  the  destruction  of  the  '  Maine,'  and  of  the  Battle  of 
Manila,  are  very  dramatic.  The  author  is  the  daughter  of  one  naval 
officer  and  the  wife  of  another.  Naval  folks  will  find  much  to  inter 
est  them  in '  The  Spirit  of  the  Service.'  "—The  Book  Buyer. 

A  SPECTRE  OF  POWER.  By  Charles  Egbert  Craddock. 
Miss  Murfree  has  pictured  Tennessee  mountains  and  the  mountain 
people  in  striking  colors  and  with  dramatic  vividness,  but  goes  back 
to  the  time  of  the  struggles  of  the  French  and  English  in  the  early 
eighteenth  century  for  possession  of  the  Cherokee  territory.  The 
story  abounds  in  adventure,  mystery,  peril  and  suspense. 

THE  STORM  CENTRE.    By  Charles  Egbert  Craddock. 

A  war  story;  but  more  of  flirtation,  love  and  courtship  than  of 
fighting  or  history.  The  tale  is  thoroughly  readable  and  takes  its 
readers  again  into  golden  Tennessee,  into  the  atmosphere  which  has 
distinguished  all  of  Miss  Murfree 's  novels. 

THE  ADVENTURESS.  By  Coralie  Stanton.  With  color 
frontispiece  by  Harrison  Fisher,  and  attractive  inlay  cover 
in  colors. 

As  a  penalty  for  her  crimes,  her  evil  nature,  her  flint-like  callous 
ness,  her  more  than  inhuman  cruelty,  her  contempt  for  the  laws  of 
God  and  man,  she  was  condemned  to  bury  her  magnificent  personal 
ty,  her  transcendent  beauty,  her  superhuman  charms,  in  gilded 
obscurity  at  a  King's  left  hand.  A  powerful  story  powerfully  told. 

THE    GOLDEN    GREYHOUND.     A  Novel  by  Dwight 

Tilton.  With  illustrations  by  E.  Pollak. 
A  thoroughly  good  story  that  keeps  you  guessing  to  the  very  end, 
and  never  attempts  to  instruct  or  reform  you.  It  is  a  strictly  up-to- 
date  story  of  love  and  mystery  with  wireless  telegraphy  and  all  the 
modern  improvements.  The  events  nearly  all  take  place  on  a  big 
Atlantic  liner  and  the  romance  of  the  deep  is  skilfully  made  to  serve 
as  a  setting  for  the  romance,  old  as  mankind,  yet  always  new,  in 
volving  our  hero. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,    "~I      NEW  YORK 


BOOKS  ON  GARDENING  AND  FARMING 

THREE  ACRES  AND  LIBERTY.  By  Bolton  Hall. 
Shows  the  value  gained  by  intensive  culture.  Should  be 
in  the  hands  of  every  landholder.  Profusely  illustrated. 
i2mo.  Cloth,  75  cents. 

Every  chapter  in  the  book  has  been  revised  by  a  specialist.  The 
author  clearly  brings  out  the  full  value  that  is  to  be  derived  from  in 
tensive  culture  and  intelligent  methods  given  to  small  land  holdings. 
Given  untrammelled  opportunity,  agriculture  will  not  only  care  well 
for  itself  and  for  those  intelligently  engaged  in  it,  but  it  will  give 
stability  to  all  other  industries  and  pursuits.  (From  the  Preface.) 
"  The  author  piles  fact  upon  authenticated  instance  and  successful 
experiment  upon  proved  example,  until  there  is  no  doubt  what  can 
be  done  with  land  intensively  treated.  He  show_s  where  the  land 
may  be  found,  what  kind  we  must  have,  what  it  will  cost,  and  what 
to  do  with  it.  It  is  seldom  we  find  so  much  enthusiasm  tempered 
by  so  much  experience  and  common  sense.  The  book  points  out  in 
a  practical  way  the  possiblities  of  a  very  small  farm  intensively  cul 
tivated.  It  embodies  the  results  of  actual  experience  and  it  is  in 
tended  to  be  workable  in  every  detail." — Providence  Journal. 

NEW  CREATIONS  IN  PLANT  LIFE.    By  W.  S.  Har- 

wood  and  Luther  Burbank.     An  Authoritative  Account 

of  the  Work   of   Luther   Burbank.     With  48   full-page 

half-tone  plates.    i2mo.    Cloth,  75  cents. 

Mr.  Burbank  has  produced  more  new  forms  of  plant  life  than  any 

other  man  who  has  ever  lived.     These  have  been  either  for  the 

adornment  of  the  world,  such  as  new  and  improved  flowers,  or  for 

the  enrichment  of  the  world,  such  as  new  and  improved  fruits,  nuts, 

vegetables,  grasses,  trees  and  the  like.     This  volume  describes  his 

life  and  work  in  detail,  presenting  a  clear  statement  of  his  methods, 

showing  how  others  may  follow  the  same  lines,  and  introducing  much 

never  before  made  public.     "  Luther  Burbank  is  unquestionably  the 

greatest  student  of  human  life  and  philosophy  of  living  things  in 

America,  if  not  in  the  world." — S.  H.  Comings,  Cor.  Sec.  American 

League  of  Industrial  Education. 

A  WOMAN'S  HARDY  GARDEN.  By  Helena  Rutherfurd 
Ely.  Superbly  illustrated  with  49  full-page  halftone  en 
gravings  from  photographs  by  Prof.  C.  F.  Chandler. 
i2mo.  Cloth. 

"  Mrs.  Ely  is  the  wisest  and  most  winsome  teacher  of  the  fascinat 
ing  art  of  gardening  that  we  have  met  in  modern  print.  *  *  *  A 
book  to  be  welcomed  with  enthusiasm." — New  York_  Tribune.  "Let 
us  sigh  with  gratitude  and  read  the  volume  with  delight.  For  here 
it  all  is  :  What  we  should  plant,  and  when  we  shonld  plant  it ;  how 
to  care  for  it  after  it  is  planted  and  growing ;  what  to  do  if  it  does 
not  grow  and  blossom  ;  what  will  blossom,  and  when  it  will  blossom, 
and  what  the  blossom  will  be.  It  is  full  of  garden  lore ;  of  the  spirit 
of  happy  out-door  life.  A  good  and  wholesome  book. —  The  Dial. 

GROSSET  &  DUNLAP,  -  NEW  YORK 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-lGOm-9,'52(A3105)444 


Scott  - 


if         me  coionei 
flic     of  the  Red 
Huzzars 


1  1  1954 


PS 

3537 

Shllhc 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    001  248  065    3 


